Gas turbines – technological development and potential use in CAES systems

Abstract

This article briefly describes Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES), focusing on the technological development of one of the key elements of such systems – the gas turbines. It presents the basic parameters and features of gas turbines, as well as turbine classes with example models. Main tendencies in the structural and technological development are discussed. Changes and trends on electric energy markets are becoming more and more dependent on sources with flexible operating characteristics, therefore, the advantages of gas turbines and the reasons for their development are listed as well.