“Gravity Batteries”
Below is a claim about a type of energy storage that exists in great abundance today in the form of pumped hydro. We take off-peak electrical energy and use it to lift a mass against the force of gravity, converting the electrical energy to potential energy. Then, when we want to use that energy, we release the mass and allow it to come downhill, converting (most of) the potential energy back into electricity.Of course, the “mass” doesn’t have to be water; it can anything fairly heavy, e.g., train cars laden with concrete blocks. See my posts on “advanced rail energy storage.”
These people claim that abandoned mines can be used instead of naturally occurring hills, and there is no scientific reason that they’re wrong.
Here is their claim with a few comments below:
Game-Changer for Energy Storage
Did you know abandoned mines can be repurposed into massive energy storage systems?
How It Works:
Excess energy lifts heavy weights when demand is low.
When energy is needed, the weights drop, spinning turbines to generate electricity.
Why Mines?
Existing Infrastructure – No need for new construction. Deep & Powerful – The deeper the mine, the more energy it can store. Eco-Friendly – No lithium, no pollution, just pure physics.The Future of Renewable Energy
Gravity batteries could revolutionize energy storage by making green power more reliable and stabilizing the grid.
Again, there is nothing that makes this theoretically impossible, and in fact, more than 90% of energy storage on this planet today utilizes this principle. The problem is that this combination of Newton (ca. 1660) and Faraday (ca. 1830) is as efficient and cost-effective as it will ever be, where battery technology is improving each year.
If there were a window of opportunity for “gravity batteries,” it has long since closed.
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