Gravitricity Gets An Imperial Seal Of Approval
This article on Renewable Energy Magazine is entitled Gravitricity Technology Turns Mine Shafts into Low Cost Power Storage Systems.
This is the first paragraph.
A report by independent analysts at Imperial College London has found that Scotland-based Gravitricity’s gravity-fed energy storage system may offer a better long-term cost of energy storage than batteries or other alternatives – particularly in grid balancing and rapid frequency response services.
I am starting to believe that Gravitricity’s simple, but patented system has a future.
The Imperial report says the system has the following advantages.
- More affordable than batteries.
- Long life.
- No long term degredation.
The main requirement is a shaft, which can be newly sunk or an old mine shaft.
Hopefully, reusing old mine shafts, must save costs and remove hazards from the landscape.
No-one can say the system isn’t extremely scientifically green.
I have some thoughts.
Eco-Developments
Could clever design allow a mine shaft to be both capped and turned into an energy storage system?
Perhaps then housing or other developments could be built over the top, thus converting an area unsuitable for anything into something more valuable. with built in energy storage.
More Efficient Motor-Generators
One of the keys to efficient operation of a Gravitricity system is efficient motor-generators.
These are also key to efficient regenerative braking on trains, trams and other vehicles.
So is enough research going into development of efficient motor-generators?
This story was in the press a few weeks ago, and is a very good idea. Much better than pumping water up hill with all the energy loss as it runs down. South wales, South Yorkshire, and several other ares have disused mine that would be ideal.
Motor generators have had a major investment over the last 10 years and the results are evident in trains, cars, micro-generators, and power tools. Barely a month goes by when I don’t get details of some new microchip dealing with motor control.
Regen braking, using motors as generators, has been around for nearly 40 years. Initially used on fork lift trucks to extend their working time between charges and reduce the battery sizes, and now used on all electric vehicles. I am currently working on the design of a new house to build on some land I have bought. Perhaps I could be the first in the UK with a regen lift! Perhaps someone got there first.
Comment by John Wright | May 22, 2018 |
Are you putting in solar panels and a ground source heat pump?
Comment by AnonW | May 22, 2018 |