Segula presents compressed air storage system for residential applications

France-based product and process engineering solutions provider Segula Technologies has developed a compressed air energy storage (CAES) system for residential applications.

“The Remora Home is based on a patented system of isothermal compression and decompression of air and is an ideal solution for homeowners operating a PV system,” a spokesperson from the company told pv magazine, noting that the storage system is the latest evolution of a technology that originated in the marine environment with its unit Remora Offshore.”It’s not yet ready for commercialization. Limited pre-series are planned for 2027 and the full commercialization in 2028.”

The system consists of a reversible compressor whit the size of a water heater that is connected to a storage unit. This unit can be installed indoors or outdoors, while the compressor must be connected to the solar panels, with the whole system being controlled by an application that optimizes self-consumption.

The cabinet housing the compressed air cylinders can also be placed in an adapted garden box and must be linked to the system’s compressor expander.

The air bottles may have a size of 50 L or 80 L depending on the household’s needs, with 5 compressed bottles of 50 L ensuring a storage capacity of 10 kWh or around 15 h, according to the manufacturer. With 5 80 L bottles, the storage capacity is 16 kWh or 15 h, while 10 bottles of the same size can reportedly ensure 32 kWh or 48 h.

The system is said to have a roundtrip efficiency of 70% and a lifecycle of 30 years with no loss of storage capacity.

“Segula Technologies then plans to deploy pilots in individual homes by the end of 2026 to test the technology over the long term and user interaction with it,” the company said in a statement. “These final stages will enable all the functionalities to be validated before the product enters mass production, with marketing scheduled for 2028.”

It recently unveiled a containerized isothermal air compression storage solution for businesses and, in 2023, it launched a hybrid solar-wind generator for commercial and industrial applications.