[Technology] Energy Stored using Gravity

[Bold Seagull]

Gravity Could Solve Clean Energy’s One Major Drawback

I thought this sounded pretty cool thinking. While the wind blows, or the sun shines, use that energy to hoist up huge concrete weights. Once the sun goes or the wind dies down, let the weights drop and the energy used to hoist them up is put back into the grid through the same motors. No batteries, lithium, etc. just electrical energy converted into gravitational potential energy, then back to electrical.

I was wondering whether the i360 could be converted to do the same thing?

 

[schmunk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jx_bJgIFhI

 

[Brok]

They could do it with the tides easily enough. Just float the weights up.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Gravity Could Solve Clean Energy’s One Major Drawback

I thought this sounded pretty cool thinking. While the wind blows, or the sun shines, use that energy to hoist up huge concrete weights. Once the sun goes or the wind dies down, let the weights drop and the energy used to hoist them up is put back into the grid through the same motors. No batteries, lithium, etc. just electrical energy converted into gravitational potential energy, then back to electrical.

I was wondering whether the i360 could be converted to do the same thing?

Dinorwig was built in the 70s, lot of the same principles https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station



Edit, just seen [MENTION=36353]schmunk[/MENTION] is already on the case

 

[CheeseRolls]

I saw a proposed Dutch scheme maybe 5 years ago, that envisaged sinking a huge tank onto the seabed, with wind turbines attached above. When the turbines were generating, excess capacity would be used to pump water out of the tank. When additional capacity was required, the water inlets would be opened and water would pour in driving turbines. I think the additional investment required for what on paper looks like a winner, has been difficult to justify.

 

[beorhthelm]

the problem with these ideas usually is whether they scale or not. and whether you'll be able to build it if it does.

there is an obvious solution that is proven, just doesnt seem to be adopted, use excess energy to crack water into hydrogen, store and use on demand. could have a mini-power plant in every major town, or repurpose existing sites. alongside nuclear for baseload, thats energy solved.

 

[happypig]

Dinorwig was built in the 70s, lot of the same principles https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station



Edit, just seen [MENTION=36353]schmunk[/MENTION] is already on the case

I went on a tour of Dinorweg whilst on holiday a few years back, it was absolutely fascinating.

 

[Pevenseagull]

I went on a tour of Dinorweg whilst on holiday a few years back, it was absolutely fascinating.

Sure is. Went there on an O level Geology field trip in about '87. As per the above video the guide explained that the main spikes in demand were during the adverts when Coronation Street was on and at half time on the (then very occasional) televised football matches.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Nikola Tesla’s long-held dream was to create a source of inexhaustible, clean energy that was free for everyone. He strongly opposed centralised coal-fired power stations that spewed carbon dioxide into the air that humans breathed. He believed that the Earth had “fluid electrical charges” running beneath its surface, that when interrupted by a series of electrical discharges at repeated set intervals, would generate a limitless power supply by generating immense low-frequency electrical waves. One of Tesla’s most extraordinary experiments was to transmit electrical power over long distances without wires or cables — a feat that has baffled scientists ever since. His grand vision was to free humankind from the burdens of extracting, pumping, transporting, and burning fossil fuels — which he viewed as “sinful waste”.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Nikola Tesla’s long-held dream was to create a source of inexhaustible, clean energy that was free for everyone. He strongly opposed centralised coal-fired power stations that spewed carbon dioxide into the air that humans breathed. He believed that the Earth had “fluid electrical charges” running beneath its surface, that when interrupted by a series of electrical discharges at repeated set intervals, would generate a limitless power supply by generating immense low-frequency electrical waves. One of Tesla’s most extraordinary experiments was to transmit electrical power over long distances without wires or cables — a feat that has baffled scientists ever since. His grand vision was to free humankind from the burdens of extracting, pumping, transporting, and burning fossil fuels — which he viewed as “sinful waste”.

It's a fascinating story or marketing, capitalism, politics and genius. Tesla, Edison, Marconi, what an astonishing era.

 

[CheeseRolls]

I saw a proposed Dutch scheme maybe 5 years ago, that envisaged sinking a huge tank onto the seabed, with wind turbines attached above. When the turbines were generating, excess capacity would be used to pump water out of the tank. When additional capacity was required, the water inlets would be opened and water would pour in driving turbines. I think the additional investment required for what on paper looks like a winner, has been difficult to justify.

UNTIL NOW..........

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-60066690

The refinement of replacing a reservoir under the seabed with a flexible bladder, is really innovative.

 

[sir_gullahad]

There are plenty of ideas to fill this need. Such as:

https://highviewpower.com/

Liquefying air with excess power, storing it and then releasing it to drive a generator when needed. A pilot plant has been running for a while and a larger one is now being built near Manchester.

Alongside weights strung up in old mineshafts, compressed air and flow batteries, it will be interesting to see which technologies win out over the next few years.

 

[beorhthelm]

not sure if the previous posted tech are serious. they are so massively over-engineering when simpler solutions exist.

 

[Mr Putdown]

not sure if the previous posted tech are serious. they are so massively over-engineering when simpler solutions exist.

I’m not sure ‘weights hung up in old mineshafts’ could be described as ‘over engineered’

 

[nickbrighton]

They could do it with the tides easily enough. Just float the weights up.

there was a plan for a tidal bore power generation scheme using the Severn tidal bore, it was binned as the initial cost is simply eyewatering