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Performance study and economic analysis of LNG cold energy integrated with liquid air energy storage: Simulation and experiment

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  • Wang, Chenchen
  • Zhang, Jinya
  • Sun, Na

Abstract

The global transition to renewable energy necessitates efficient large-scale energy storage solutions. This study proposes and investigates a novel Liquefied Natural Gas cold energy integrated with Liquid Air Energy Storage system (LNG-LAES) designed to effectively harness LNG regasification cold energy and significantly enhance the round-trip efficiency of conventional LAES. Notably, this work presents the first comprehensive experimental validation of an integrated LNG-LAES system, addressing a significant gap in existing research. A comprehensive full-process experimental platform validates the system's technical feasibility. Sensitivity analysis reveals a non-linear relationship between charging pressure and round-trip efficiency. The system achieves its maximum round-trip efficiency of 77.33 % at an optimal charging pressure of 6.1 MPa, corresponding to an LNG flow rate of 51.04 t/h and a temperature of −135 °C. Maintaining the LNG temperature within the range of −135 °C to −145 °C yields a substantial round-trip efficiency increase from 74.42 % to 77.33 %. The overall exergy efficiency reaches 62.9 %. Economic analysis estimates the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) for a 10 MW LNG-LAES system at 0.102 USD/kWh, representing a 12.5 %–24.2 % reduction compared to conventional stand-alone LAES systems. These findings demonstrate the significant potential of integrating LNG cold energy with LAES to achieve higher efficiency and improved cost-effectiveness for practical implementation.

Suggested Citation

  • Wang, Chenchen & Zhang, Jinya & Sun, Na, 2025. "Performance study and economic analysis of LNG cold energy integrated with liquid air energy storage: Simulation and experiment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 339(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:339:y:2025:i:c:s0360544225046924
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2025.139050
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