Apple Inc, the well-known manufacturer of phones, desktop, laptop, and tablet computers, has reportedly designed a unique energy storage system for wind energy.
It has been looking for ways to power its data center, and it realizes the benefits of wind power, such as zero fuel requirements, the opportunity to support the US economy more by buying US-built turbines, zero pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, and a cost of 9.7 cents per kWh without government subsidies.
9.7 cents is a low cost; however, the implementation of energy storage increases it, and Apple will need energy storage or backup generators to compensate for power fluctuations, if they are to directly power their data center with it.
Apple’s wind energy storage concept involves using a wind turbine to rotate a shaft that turns a device that has one or more paddles, a propeller, or a drum attached to it and immersed in a volatile fluid.
This would agitate, circulate, and/or heat low-capacity fluid. The heat generated in the fluid would cause it to boil because of its low boiling point.
Information from Clean Technia http://cleantechnica.com/2013/01/05/apple-designs-a-wind-energy-storage-concept/#ydljwPyde7867bq5.99
