Engineers from the University of Southern California (USC) Viterbi School of Engineering have devised a method for turning abandoned oil and gas wells into subsurface storage space for solar and wind generated power.

To accomplish this, the engineers propose pouring cement down pipes to seal up gas and oil reservoirs and adding a sensor to the top for detecting leaks, while perforations would enable access to saline aquifers at shallow depths.

Additionally, power derived from solar panels and wind turbines located close to the abandoned oil and gas wells could potentially be converted into high pressure air via compressor. Once converted, that high pressure air could be guided through the pipes to the subsurface saline aquifers, 1,000 ft to 8,000 ft below surface.

That high-pressure air would be held underground until needed and released to create electricity with turbines, sending that power to the grid. According to the team, one repurposed well could be used to store an estimated 5 MW of energy.

Considering the number of inoperable and abandoned oil and gas wells throughout the U.S., the researchers believe that their proposed technique for storing wind and solar generated power — storage space for which is currently limited — could potentially enhance the nation’s energy security.