Balloony
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Once in a while on this blog, we focus simply on projects which are what we call “Green By Definition”. This means the project’s charter of the project and its main outcome is focused social or ecological bottom lines – even though, as in this case, it could be very much a profit-driven effort as well. We recently encountered an example in PMI’s PM Network magazine (March 2016, Page 10, “Underwater Energy”) which we’d also like to share with you, drawing also from other resources which give more background this project. To get started, I want you to make a strange visual image in your head: a balloon and a battery… balloon on the left, battery on the right. Now, put them in motion – slowly. Move them closer and closer to each other… that’s right… and let them merge to become one. Excellent job! Imagine an un-inflated balloon. Now bring that balloon under water, perhaps deep under water, and inflate it. Would you agree that the balloon is storing air? And you’d agree that the water pressure would help deflate the balloon, right? Sure. Now imagine that the balloon can be deflated under control, rotating the blades of a turbine, which in turn produces electricity. Would you agree that now the balloon is storing energy? Sure. So balloon = battery. It can be charged (inflated), and it can be discharged (deflated) to convert one type of energy to another. In the case of the battery it is a chemical to electrical conversion – here it is air-flow to electrical. Is this loony? Not at all, as it turns out. In the PM Network article, we learn that the project is sponsored by a company called Hydrostor. A visit to their website is informative, as you can learn about their ‘golden thread’ from mission and vision to the operation of their project’s product. The business case for such a system (what would make us put giant balloons under Lake Ontario?) is the fact that the promise of wind and solar energy is somewhat deflated (excuse the pun) by possible dips in availability of those sources, since they are dependent on nature. This “rounds out the curve” and becomes an enabler for wind and solar by providing storage when those sources are not producing the needed power. So, with a business case, a charter, and a dedicated sponsor, the project was launched in November 2015 and is aimed at reducing Toronto’s reliance on fossil fuels. In this article from the Financial Post, we learn that the project is well into execution. Near the shore of Lake Ontario, 30-centimetre steel pipes already extend deep underground before jutting out into the Lake, traversing over 4 kM. We share a key figure from this article below, and highly recommend that you have a look at the full article. In it, we learn that already, new contracts are being signed by Hydrostor, including one in which Hydrostor will build a plant in Aruba: it will construct a 10-MWt facility on the small Caribbean island of Aruba to help round out the potential power dips of a 30-megawatt wind farm there. Here's a really cool video on the whole concept (click here or on the image to watch this 6-minute video).
The full story is here. Here is the promised diagrammatic explanation:
If you want to go to the original article in PM Network that triggered our interest, you can go to PMI directly on these two links: http://www.pmi.org/Learning/pm-network.aspx http://www.pmi.org/learning/Publications-Online-Library/PM-Network-Past-Issues.aspx
The Ballooning Bottom Line Here we see the relationship between project management and sustainability in a very direct way. We know it’s not always that direct and that’s why we’ll continue to write about the more subtle connections, such as planning for the long-term success and ecological and social aspects of any project. But in the meantime, let’s not burst your bubble – enjoy the story of how a balloon becomes a battery and the projects that this has yielded. |
