This Gravity Battery Could Save The World!

 

Scientists propose using abandoned mines as gravity batteries by utilizing the shafts of the mines to store energy. This new concept could potentially repurpose abandoned mines that are no longer useful after their ore has been extracted.

A system in which electricity is generated by releasing a heavy load, allowing it t to drop. This stored energy can be used at peak demand times on the municipal grid, and excess energy in the grid can be used to pull the load back up, effectively storing the energy for later use.

A system that utilizes a heavy weight to generate electricity by releasing it to drop. This stored energy can be used at peak demand times on the municipal grid, and excess energy in the grid can be used to pull the weight back up, effectively storing the energy for later use. One of the most common types of technology is known as a pumped-storage hydroelectric system, in which water is released from a high elevation to generate electricity by spinning up turbines as it flows downhill. When excess energy is available, that water is pumped back up to the starting point.

This stored energy can be used at peak demand times on the municipal grid, and excess energy in the grid can be used to pull the weight back up, effectively storing the energy for later use. One of the most common types of technology is known as a pumped-storage hydroelectric system, in which water is released from a high elevation to generate electricity by spinning up turbines as it flows downhill. When excess energy is available, that water is pumped back up to the starting point. Another type of gravity battery was proposed last year by scientists from Austria's International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), in which elevators in high-rise buildings would use regenerative braking systems to generate electricity while lowering weighted payloads from higher to lower floors. Autonomous trailer robots would pull the loads in and out of the elevators as needed.

As Underground Gravity Energy Storage (UGES) system, utilizes a heavyweight, in this case, containers full of sand, to generate electricity by releasing it to drop into existing disused mine shafts. The elevators in the mines would raise and lower the containers, and this stored energy can be used at peak demand times on the municipal grid, excess energy in the grid can be used to pull the containers back up, effectively storing the energy for later use. This system was recently proposed by the same researchers who proposed a similar concept using elevators in high-rise buildings.

In this case, containers full of sand, generate electricity by releasing it to drop in existing disused mine shafts. The elevators in the mines would raise and lower the containers, and this stored energy can be used at peak demand times on the municipal grid, excess energy in the grid can be used to pull the containers back up, effectively storing the energy for later use. A series of electric motor/generator units would be placed on both sides of the mine shafts, which would move the elevators up and down, generating electricity via regenerative braking on the way down and using some of that electricity on the way back up. This system was recently proposed by the same researchers who proposed a similar concept using elevators in high-rise buildings.

The elevators in the mines would raise and lower the containers, and this stored energy can be used at peak demand times on the municipal grid, excess energy in the grid can be used to pull the containers back up, effectively storing the energy for later use. A series of electric motor/generator units would be placed on both sides of the mine shafts, which would move the elevators up and down, generating electricity via regenerative braking on the way down and using some of that electricity on the way back up.

For maximum efficiency, the elevators could take on a sand load at the surface, have that load removed at the bottom of the shaft, and then return to the surface empty. The storage area at the bottom of the shaft would eventually fill up with sand in this scenario. To avoid this, when there is an excess of energy in the grid, the elevators would bring some of the sand back topside. A combination of electric conveyor belts and dump trucks would be used for the on- and offloading.

The elevators in the mines would raise and lower the containers, and this stored energy can be used at peak demand times on the municipal grid, excess energy in the grid can be used to pull the containers back up, effectively storing the energy for later use. A series of electric motor/generator units would be placed on both sides of the mine shafts, which would move the elevators up and down, generating electricity via regenerative braking on the way down and using some of that electricity on the way back up.

For maximum efficiency, the elevators could take on a sand load at the surface, have that load removed at the bottom of the shaft, and then return to the surface empty. The storage area at the bottom of the shaft would eventually fill up with sand in this scenario. To avoid this, when there is an excess of energy in the grid, the elevators would bring some of the sand back topside. A combination of electric conveyor belts and dump trucks would be used for the on- and offloading. The scientists estimate that UGES could have a global energy storage potential of 7 to 70 TWh (terawatt hours), with most of the plants being located in countries where there are already a lot of abandoned mines, such as China, India, Russia, and the US.

UGES stands for Underground Gas Storage, which is the process of storing natural gas in underground reservoirs. According to a study by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), UGES could provide an opportunity for former coal mines to continue operating by repurposing them as energy storage facilities. This would allow the mines to continue providing jobs for their workers, and also take advantage of the existing infrastructure and connection to the power grid. The lead author of the paper, Julian Hunt, noted that this could significantly reduce the cost and ease the implementation of UGES plants.