5mo ago

China's 40-story gravity batteries threaten lithium's energy reign

interestingengineering.com

14 comments

It’s kinda funny that just stacking rocks is an efficient energy storage solution.
- That's why the aliens built the pyramids!!1!!! To store energy for their perpetual motion time cube!
  /s
Wasn't this already debunked as a poor replacement for pumped storage hydro electric? The blocks and the things moving them will always have more wear than water and turbines.
- Recycling lithium ion batteries isn't easy either though, and you might not have the geography for hydro.
  
  I believe the argument against solid block gravity batteries is that you can achieve the same thing with water by using old mines or even just digging a 40story hole. If you have room for the 40 story tower then you have room for a more efficient pumped hydro hole.
- Plus, concrete is super dirty to produce and actually not so dense.
  
  The article mentions using greener things like waste and soil.
  And if you were using redundant mine shaft thats greener than building new structures.
Love clever and simple stuff like this.
It's not really a battery killer at all. It would never fit or be useful in a car, phone or anything portable. It's more of a possible replacement to pumped-storage hydroelectric.
- Batteries are increasingly used for large scale storage now, especially with renewables becoming more prevalent.
- Thats not what they're using it for. This is an alternative to pumped hydro or big lithium arrays.
Couldn't you get more energy density with compressed air? That way the entire volume of your warehouse is storing energy at the same time.
- I'm guessing they did at least a minimal assessment of that. :)

14 comments