Resilient Energy, Water and Infrastructure

Grid-Scale Subsurface Energy Storage

Illustration depicting compressed air energy storage (CAES) in porous media systems. Illustration by W. Denn.

Understand and develop effective and affordable grid-scale energy storage in the deep subsurface, such as porous media compressed air energy storage, thermal energy storage, or hydrogen storage. Carry out research on capacity assessment, design of systems, performance analysis, assessment of risks, and specialized analysis of site-specific issues.

Overview

Grid-Scale Subsurface Energy Storage is an Energy Geosciences Division initiative within the Resilient Energy, Water and Infrastructure Program Domain.

Featured Projects

News & Events

New Nature Geoscience Paper Explores Impact of Fluid Injection on Fault Slip in Soft Rock

August 31, 2022

Scientists have known since the 70s about the possibility that injection of fluids deep into Earth’s subsurface can reactivate a geological fault by increasing pore pressure and consequently reducing stress. The practice has shown since then that injecting large quantities of fluids into deep rock formations has the potential to provoke unwanted fault slip and…

Staff Scientist Pat Dobson Wins Award for Outstanding Research

August 30, 2022

Congratulations to Geothermal Systems Program Lead and Staff Scientist Patrick Dobson, who has won a 2022 Geothermal Rising Conference (GRC) Outstanding Research Award. The GRC Awards have recognized distinguished colleagues in the geothermal community from around the world since the 1970s. Award recipients have made significant achievements in the geothermal academic, scientific, and commercial communities.…

A Q&A With Ingenuity Intern Hang Chen

August 4, 2022

EESA’s new Ingenuity Internship program helps the next generation entering the geologic nuclear waste disposal workforce gain experience with research projects ranging from simulating contaminant migration in rocks to conducting clay experiments to study water movement in the subsurface. After excelling in the sciences throughout high school and his undergraduate program, 2022 Ingenuity intern Hang…

A Q&A With Ingenuity Intern Toshiyuki Bandai

EESA’s new Ingenuity Internship program helps the next generation entering the geologic nuclear waste disposal workforce gain experience with research projects ranging from simulating contaminant migration in rocks to conducting clay experiments to study water movement in the subsurface. After 2022 Ingenuity Intern Toshiyuki Bandai studied soil physics in his Bachelor’s and Master’s programs at…

A Q&A With Ingenuity Intern Elijah Adeniyi

EESA’s new Ingenuity Internship program helps the next generation entering the geologic nuclear waste disposal workforce gain experience with research projects ranging from simulating contaminant migration in rocks to conducting clay experiments to study water movement in the subsurface. Equipped with a Master’s degree in geology, 2022 Ingenuity Intern Elijah Adeniyi has been eager to…

Bhavna Arora Describes Agricultural Managed Aquifer Recharge

June 7, 2022

Managed Aquifer Recharge is a water management strategy used to store excess surface water underground and thereby replenish groundwater basins when and where possible. This strategy enables communities to use depleted groundwater basins as natural water storage to augment water supplies and prevent land subsidence. In coastal regions, MAR can be implemented to act as…