Gravity Energy Storage

[jabloomf1230]

Control tech for modular gravity storage

A group of researchers in China has developed an energy management system for modular gravity storage. Compared to single block gravity storage, the modular counterpart offers more flexibility in output power, ease of mass production of related equipment and better flexibility in the selection...

www.pv-magazine.com

The idea is to use an electric motor and weights to store PV energy.

 

[Watts_Up]

The idea is to use an electric motor and weights to store PV energy.

Very similar idea explained in this article:

The train goes up, the train goes down: a simple new way to store energy

A new company stores energy using high-tech solutions, namely rocks and gravity.

www.vox.com

 

[Watts_Up]

An other example is this network of lakes in Switzerland where the surplus of energy generated is used to pump back water:

Note: Extract from this video The Race to Replace a Cracked Dam. (example of a pumped storage power plant @20:02)

 

[bruce4000]

Very similar idea explained in this article:

The train goes up, the train goes down: a simple new way to store energy

A new company stores energy using high-tech solutions, namely rocks and gravity.

www.vox.com

View attachment 1002783

This seems to be dead. The latest news I see is from 2020? Good in concept but likely too much expense and mechanical maintenance and land vs batteries which have gotten cheaper.

 

[Watts_Up]

This seems to be dead. The latest news I see is from 2020?
Good in concept but likely too much expense and mechanical maintenance and land vs batteries which have gotten cheaper.

Like any engineering solution, there is always a sweet and optimal point of usage,
which is also constantly changing especially regarding the cost of Lithium-Ion batteries which has been going down in the last few years.

Note: Battery storage is very flexible and provides almost instantaneous Grid balancing, but in general is limited to few hours to days.
While those kind of gravity sytems can provide weeks or months of storage energy,
something usefull in remote locations especially in winter where the use of a gas generators or gas power plants is not practical or too costly.

 

[Watts_Up]

To give a little bit more perspective regarding new energies and also sustainability
I would recommend watching this video:

Tony Seba's 10 NEW energy & EV predictions are blowing up the internet

(Note: See also at 17:45 about food and agriculture)

 

[brkaus]

Energy Vault® - Enabling a Renewable World™

Energy Vault creates gravity and kinetic energy-based, long-duration energy storage solutions that are transforming the world's approach to energy storage.

www.energyvault.com