Abstract:
The invention relates to a method for storing electric energy, having the steps of a) generating methane from water and soot using electric energy, b) storing the methane, and c) splitting the methane into hydrogen and soot, said hydrogen being used to generate energy, or generating energy by converting the methane into soot and water in a cyclic bromination/oxidation process. The soot accumulated during the methane splitting process or during the cyclic bromination/oxidation process according to step c) is collected and used in step a) when restarting the method for generating methane such that a closed carbon circuit is produced. The invention also relates to a system comprising a current/methane conversion system, in which an electric current together with soot and water is converted into methane, and to a methane/current conversion system, in which methane is converted into hydrogen while splitting soot.