Using excess energy production to lift a heavy object, then lowering that object when production is low to keep energy levels high.
“Gravity Batteries” are an idea wherein energy is stored as gravitational potential energy.
A gravity battery uses excess energy production to lift a heavy object, then lowering that object when production is low to keep energy levels high. This could be concrete blocks, rocks, garbage in a box, or, most common of all - water. Pumping water back up from the low side to the high side of a hydroelectric dam is a viable form of gravity batteries.
There are startup companies that want to make large-scale gravitational batteries for deployment alongside generation stations. This technology may never take off.
Pros
- Solves the problem that Energy Generation is Bursty
- Doesn’t involve mining chemicals and producing batteries, which are hard to recycle
Cons
- Gravitational batteries have a poor Energy Density.
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Gravitational potential energy of a 5 gallon bucket full of water, 30 feet in the air: 0.00047 kWh
Taking into account the Average Energy Cost - that’s $0.00007
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A 55 gallon barrel on your roof is approximately the same as a AA battery
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- Making concrete isn’t great for the environment.