3 ms·
It's not significantly more efficient than pumped hydroelectric storage which is 70 to 80% efficient. And whilst it might be able to store quite a lot of energy
by barbegal 8y ago
It's not significantly more efficient than pumped hydroelectric storage which is 70 to 80% efficient. And whilst it might be able to store quite a lot of energy, it can't release it particularly quickly I'd estimate the 6 crane motors can maybe generate a combined 1MW which is a paltry amount of power compared to even a tiny pumped storage facility.
- proto-n 8y agoOk but the whole premise was that hydroelectric storage is infeasible in most places.
- dredmorbius 8y agoPumped-hydro needs few high-powered turbine-pumps, of 100 - 400 MW capacity. Solid material gravity storage requires vastly more low-capacity motors, of under 1 MW each, as you note. Raw efficiency isn't everything.
- imhoguy 8y agoThat is true. However such gravity storage can be multiplied and distributed on flatland at any nearby solar or wind source.