SustainX is a leading global provider of grid-scale energy storage solutions for supporting a cleaner and more efficient electric grid. The company started with a group of four people from the Thayer School of Engineering. These three students and one Dean Emeritus received funding from the National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research Program, Energy Storage Program at the US DOE, and a few more groups. They are striving to create a large scale energy storage system that does not burn fossil fuels.
“SustainX’s isothermal compressed air energy storage (ICAES™) technology enables a site-anywhere, zero-emissions storage solution. Through superior thermodynamics, SustainX technology frees compressed air storage from the risks of caverns and the emissions of natural gas.”
“Isothermal compression allows air to reach high pressures without the inherent challenges of high temperatures or high thermal losses. Compressed air at near ambient temperature can be stored until needed with minimal energy losses. When power is needed, isothermal expansion can deliver electrical energy with no requirement for natural gas combustion”
SustainX has patents on their products and their products that are still in design. Long cycle life at deep depth-of-discharge combined with fast response time allows SustainX to provide a complete solution for supporting and increasing the value of renewable generation.
Written by Elise Mazur, 7/29/2015