Gravity Storage Systems

Gravity Energy Storage Systems

Gravity storage systems have really been around since the earliest times, certainly since the Roman’s built their first gravity-fed aqueducts.

Gravity storage systems have likewise been used in electricity generation since the 19th or 20th century with implementations like pumped-hydro dependent on the action of gravity on water to drive electricity turbines.

It’s refreshing to see these technologies reinvented in modern times – where new thinking provides innovative solutions based on the reliable physics of gravity.

Gravitricity

Gravitricity is a UK-based startup involved in the development of gravity storage systems for grid-balancing operations.

The potential to use potential energy while averting the constant need to acquire precious and rare metals for battery manufacturing is a very exciting and welcome development.

In the Gravitricity example, abundant renewable energy is used as an input to generate potential energy which is then released back into the electricity grid as demand requires. The response times are said to be under 60 seconds, which is consistent with grid requirements.

Gravitricity demonstration rig — Gravitricity 250 kW demo rig which can be scaled for MW applications

Anywhere with a hill, or a hole, now has the potential to house a simple power station with zero fuel, zero emissions and zero waste.

This zero-zero-zero seems the ideal in modern power generation.

Pumped Hydro Power

Pumped Hydro Power is similar in many respects to the gravity storage solution. Water is held at potential and delivered on a demand basis as the grid requires.

Ireland’s only pumped hydro station at Turlough Hill has a response time of 70 seconds – similar to the Gravitricity solution.

Hydropower is the original zero emissions power generation technology. Again, we can see it’s origins in the first millrace or further back in history – and it’s continuous implementation proves that new mineral-hungry technologies are not at all better than the old reliable energy storage methods.

Turlough Hill is also Ireland’s Hydropower Control Centre, and we would do well to consider a lot more pumped hydro or hydropower projects for our national grid as a balancing technology for renewables like wind and solar.

Turlough Hill Pumped Hydro — Turlough Hill schematic

Turlough Hill is Ireland at her best, and one of our favourite examples of a pumped hydro project.

We should do more.

Solar Power Projects

We believe that Solar Energy is the ideal companion for gravity storage projects – and vice-versa.

Solar Energy is dependable, predictable, and reliable energy source which can be accurately measured and matched with any gravity storage project whether it’s based on a simple mass or a mass of water.