This paper originates from the need to address a key challenge faced by energy self-sufficient microgrids based on renewable energy sources—namely, the temporal mismatch between energy generation and consumption. A viable solution to this issue lies in the deployment of stable and environmentally friendly large-scale energy storage systems. In addition to electrical energy, microgrids also require a significant amount of thermal energy for space heating and domestic hot water. Therefore, the problem of maintaining the energy balance is considered through the integration of electrical and thermal energy supply within the microgrid.

This paper proposes an integrated wind turbine–liquid air energy storage (LAES) system with thermal and cold storage and a heat pump for microgrid applications. The wind turbine tower provides sufficient space for accommodating a cylindrical cryogenic tank with insulation and protects it from external mechanical and thermal influences. A tower with a height of 120 m can house a tank with a volume of approximately 500 m³, capable of storing liquid air with an energy capacity of around 100 MWh.

The heat and cold energy released during the charging and discharging processes of the liquid air storage are captured and stored, primarily to enhance the efficiency of the LAES cycle. The round-trip efficiency of the system can exceed 65%. It has been observed that the heat generated during the charging process exceeds the heating demand during discharging proccess by approximately 30%. This surplus heat is stored and utilized to meet the thermal demands of households within the microgrid. In addition to thermal and cold energy storage systems, the proposed concept also includes a heat pump. When surplus electrical energy is available, the heat pump operates as a controllable load, utilizing excess electricity to further heat the thermal storage.

This paper presents the technological scheme and demonstrates the technical performance of the proposed concept. Furthermore, optimal sizing of the main components—compressor, electrical motor, liquid air storage, thermal and cold storage systems, and heat pump—will be performed. The objective of the optimization is to maximize the coverage of both electrical and thermal demand in the microgrid while ensuring efficient utilization of the system components. The concept will be demonstrated using a case study of a microgrid located in a windy region of Serbia, based on real wind measurements, wind turbine characteristics, and measured data on electrical and thermal consumption. Based on the conducted analyses, the energy performance and efficiency of the overall system under realistic operating conditions will be evaluated.