Korea develops first liquid air energy storage

September 14, 2025

Korean researchers have unveiled a breakthrough in renewable energy storage, introducing the nation’s first homegrown Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) system. Developed by the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), the system chills surplus electricity into liquid air, stores it, and later releases it to generate power on demand.

The team recently achieved a key milestone: producing up to 10 tons of liquid air per day, moving the technology closer to large-scale commercial use.

How liquid air energy storage works

When the power grid generates excess electricity, it is used to cool air to cryogenic temperatures until it liquefies. The liquid air is then stored in insulated tanks, creating a giant energy reserve.

When demand spikes, the liquid air is reheated. As it expands nearly 700 times its liquid volume, it creates powerful pressure that drives turbines to produce electricity.

This process provides a flexible and sustainable solution for on-demand clean energy.

Made in Korea: breakthrough components

The system was designed entirely in-house by Principal Researcher Dr. Jun Young Park and his team at KIMM. Two major innovations made Korea’s first successful air liquefaction test possible:

• A turbo expander capable of spinning faster than 100,000 RPM.
• A cryogenic cold box with multi-layer insulation and a high-powered vacuum to maintain extremely low temperatures.

“This is a critical step for Korea’s renewable energy future,” said Dr. Park. “Large-scale storage is the missing piece, and LAES shows we can deliver it without geographical limits.”

Why liquid air storage matters

Today, most large-scale storage relies on pumped hydro or compressed air systems. While effective, these require mountains, valleys, or underground caverns—and often face environmental trade-offs.

Liquid Air Energy Storage avoids these limitations. It can be built almost anywhere, making it ideal for urban centers and industrial hubs. Added benefits include:

• Using extreme cold for industrial cooling applications.
• Reusing waste heat from factories to improve efficiency.

Korea in the global race for LAES

Countries including the UK, China, and the United States are also racing to commercialize LAES. What sets Korea apart is that its system is fully developed with domestic technology, a crucial step for the nation’s plan to build an energy superhighway for renewables.

While the current system remains modest, its success proves that bottling air could become one of the cleanest and most versatile ways to store renewable energy.

Toward a sustainable energy future

The achievement positions Korea at the forefront of long-duration energy storage. With further scaling, LAES could provide the flexibility and reliability needed to balance renewable power sources like solar and wind.