Gravity Energy Storage

About Gravity Energy Storage: 

• It is a new technology that stores energy using gravity.
• How does it work?
  • It involves lifting a heavy mass during excess energy generation and releasing it to produce electricity when demand rises or solar energy is unavailable. 
  • The types of weights used are often water, concrete blocks or compressed earth blocks.
  • Unlike pumped-hydro energy storage, gravity energy storage offers more flexibility in site selection. 
  • A typical setup involves a heavy piston within a fluid-filled cylindrical container.
  • When solar energy production exceeds demand, surplus electricity lifts the piston, converting the surplus electrical energy into stored energy. 
  • When demand surpasses supply, the piston descends, driving water through a turbine to generate electricity supply to meet demand.
• Advantages
  • It can last for decades with minimal maintenance, unlike batteries that degrade over time.
  • It avoids harmful chemical reactions, reducing environmental impact and disposal issues, an important consideration in the move towards a greener planet.
  • It can also be more cost-effective for large-scale applications, with lower level costs of energy and storage.
  • It is particularly advantageous in areas with space constraints or environmental concerns that restrict the deployment of other storage systems.

Q1: What is Renewable energy?

It is energy derived from natural sources that are replenished at a higher rate than they are consumed. Sunlight and wind, for example, are such sources that are constantly being replenished. Renewable energy sources are plentiful and all around us.

News: How gravity can be harnessed to store renewable energy