Concrete teapot?

[dan_b]

Urgh - can't believe this is getting more funding! Am I wrong to think this is a completely daft idea? At least putting weights up and down a coal mine shaft that already exists sort of makes sense (Gravitricity) but this?

https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/st ... -gwh-deal/

[Stinsy]

I’ve been watching this system of cranes and concrete blocks as a means of energy storage for years. I like the idea. And the “self discharge” is zero!

Unresolved problems as of last time I looked at this idea were: the cost of the concrete blocks and the CO2 produced in the production of the concrete blocks. Round trip efficiency claims seemed to be as fanciful as they always are…

[Mr Gus]

Who in govt got this through to funding & build stage?
(so we've got a line of fire for questioning when it is quietly deemed a mothballed failure)?

[AE-NMidlands]

but it might not be... if we don't try it we shall not find out.
None of these storage ideas have anything like the cost or risk of a nuclear power station, and the sites will be quick to build and easily cleaned up if they turn out not to work, unlike a nuke! In the meantime they will employ, develop and stretch the minds of engineers who we shall be seriously in need of as we re-build most of the country's infrastructure to accommodate CO2 reduction. If we are not prepared to do that then we have lost already.

I think the biggest risk with this one is high winds affecting the craneage - just when you want to maximise the mopping up of surplus electrons from the turbines.
However it wouldn't be beyond the wit of man to have a tail line on the "hook" to keep it under control.
A

[spread-tee]

Gravity doesn't really have much to do with this, So where does the energy come from to lift the weights??

Desp

[AE-NMidlands]

Come on Desp!
Use surplus electricity to pick up a weight and put it on top of a (high) pile, then when the grid needs it back use the same crane with the motors acting as regenerative brakes instead to lower the blocks back down.
A
p.s I'm sure that when this was first publicised, maybe a year ago, there was film of a prototype working in a very small yard somewhere in Germany or Austria - or maybe switzerland.

[spread-tee]

TBH I just skimmed the article after seeing the Gravity Based headline, if it had said Potential energy I would have taken it more seriously. Looking at the big picture though the energy stored by lifting weights is quite small though, I wonder what the reaction would be to having loads of these things sprouting up?

Desp

[nowty]

Its Switzerland.

https://www.energyvault.com/

[Mart]

Got to be honest, I've always liked this idea, perhaps it reminds me of being a kid and building Mecanno cranes and trying to stack stuff up.

Presumably the blocks would be made from locally sourced 'dirt', minimising transportation. Might be quite soothing to watch.

Good point about excess leccy during high winds, perhaps better suited to excess PV nations.

[AE-NMidlands]

TBH I just skimmed the article after seeing the Gravity Based headline, if it had said Potential energy I would have taken it more seriously. Looking at the big picture though the energy stored by lifting weights is quite small though, I wonder what the reaction would be to having loads of these things sprouting up?

Desp

Probably even more interesting to watch than a turnbine... and I find them pretty hypnotic!
I think they are talking about huge loads, like 30 or 40 Tonnes, and even claim they can take construction waste for making their concrete blocks.
I suppose that if it flies and the need is great enough then they could change to high-density concrete - made with iron ore instead of plain stone aggregate, I believe - for a higher power density.