Patent ID: 8723347

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: a gas compressor configured to be operated by a wind turbine and in fluid communication with a compressed gas storage unit; and a gas expander in fluid communication with the compressed gas storage unit and comprising, a chamber defined within at least one wall, an element to effect gas-liquid heat exchange with gas expanding within the chamber in an absence of combustion, and a moveable member received within the chamber and configured to be selectively driven by the expanding gas to communicate a power of the expanding gas out of the chamber via a linkage to an electrical generator, wherein: the gas expander is a dedicated expander; and the gas compressor is a dedicated compressor comprising, a second chamber defined within at least one second wall, a second element to effect gas-liquid heat exchange with gas being compressed within the second chamber, and a second moveable member received within the second chamber and configured to be driven by the wind turbine to compress gas within the second chamber.