Mine Water Heat
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from the Coal Authority.
This is the introductory paragraph.
The Coal Authority is working with partners to unlock the heat within our historical coal mine network, to transform the homes and workplaces of the future.
The Coal Authority doesn’t have much of a historic product, so selling the heat from the mines could be an environmentally-friendly revenue scheme.
These four paragraphs are the heart of the press release.
As part of our work to make a better future for people and the environment in mining areas, we’re exploring opportunities to use mine water to heat and cool homes and businesses.
Water within the mines is warmed by natural processes and can, if sustainably managed, provide a continuous supply of heat. Mine water temperatures are not affected by seasonal variations and, subject to the right support, mine water can provide renewable, secure, low carbon heating for buildings in coalfield areas.
With heating accounting for 40% of energy use in the UK, mine water heat could improve the sustainability of the places where we live and work. Mine water heat could also play a part in the UK’s efforts to tackle climate change and support its net zero future.
The Coal Authority are working with academics, local authorities, central government and others to help realise the potential of mine water heat. We’re supporting the delivery of mine water heat projects and working with others to make them happen.
The press release then adds more details and describes specific projects.
Mines For Storing Electricity
We also mustn’t forget other uses for abandoned coal mines.
I particularly like Gravitricity’s idea of used abandoned deep mines to store energy, that I wrote about in Gravitricity Explores Czech Coal Mine For MW-Scale Storage.
I hope the Coal Authority has its eyes on this ball.
Conclusion
I first became aware of the ability to extract heat from abandoned coal mines at a lecture at the Geological Society of London, after which I wrote Can Abandoned Mines Heat Our Future?.
I believe that for some parts of the country, this could become the preferred technology for heating homes and businesses.
The technology was even featured on the BBC tonight.
EMEC And Gravitricity Pick Up Scottish Green Energy Awards
The title of this post, is the same as this article on renews.biz.
These are the first two paragraphs.
The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), energy storage innovator Gravitricity and Crown Estate Scotland were among the winners announced last night at the Scottish Green Energy Awards in Edinburgh.
EMEC won the Champion of Renewables award for its ocean energy test facility, while Gravitricity’s energy storage system, which uses excess electricity to winch weights to charge the system and then releases these when energy is required, was announced as the Best Innovation winner.
I am pleased, as I own a small part of Gravitricity, which I contributed through crowdfunding.
Gravitricity Explores Czech Coal Mine For MW-Scale Storage
The title of this post, is the same as that as this article on renews.biz.
This is the first paragraph.
Scottish energy storage outfit Gravitricity is exploring the potential to transform a former Czech coal mine into an energy storage plant with a capacity of up to 8MW.
It all sounds like a good use for a disused coal mine.
According to the article, future systems with multiple weights could store up to 25 MWh.
Good Energy’s Juliet Davenport Joins Gravitricity
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Solar Power Portal.
Taking the title of this article at face value, it is probably good practice for a company like Gravitricity to take on someone like Juliet Davenport, as they move to the next phase of their business.
The article also mentions Gravitricity’s developments in the storage of hydrogen and heat.
This paragraph also mentions a new development.
Gravitricity is now developing plans for a full-scale energy storage project at a recently closed coal mine in mainland Europe, in what will be the start of a pipeline of projects worldwide.
That does seem to be good news.
Note that it is recently closed coal mine. This is surely for the best, as who knows what the state of long-disused mine will be? My project management and engineering knowledge, says that an orderly handover can reduce the cost of the installation.
Gravitricity Battery Generates First Power At Edinburgh Site
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the first paragraph.
A project to create electricity from gravity has generated its first power at a demonstrator site in Edinburgh.
The article gives a good explanation of the uses of the Gravitricity system and shows a video.
I suppose, I should declare an interest, in that I have invested money in Gravitricity through crowdfunding.
But then I like the concept and they are also using some of the best winch technology in the world from specialist company: Huisman.
Gravitricity Adds Hydrogen To Energy Storage Mix
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release on the Gravitricity web site.
These are the first two paragraphs of the press release.
Energy storage specialists Gravitricity have revealed plans to add hydrogen and heat storage to their underground gravity energy system.
The Edinburgh innovators have submitted a global patent to turn purpose-built shafts into pressurised energy stores, capable of safely accumulating significant quantities of the gas.
These are my observations.
- I believe the original concept of storing energy will work, which is why I have invested.
- Other companies are proposing to store hydrogen under pressure below ground.
- Heat is being extracted from the London Underground and used for heating buildings.
- Using one hole for three purposes must be more cost-efficient.
These processes might be easier with a regular clean purpose-built shaft!
Gravity, The Ultimate In Energy Storage
This is a must read article on explica.co.
It talks about three methods of storing energy using gravity.
Gravitricity
Gravitricity is under development in Edinburgh
Energy Vault
An image explaining the principle of Energy Vault is also shown.
The Energy Vault web site has some impressive video.
They could be a company to watch. Especially, when they have a battery working, where it can be viewed in action, as it will look like a gigantic many-armed robotic child, playing with thirty-five tonne concrete bricks.
Vázquez Figueroa
This writer from the Canaries has come up with an interesting idea, which combines an energy storage system with water desalination. This is his website. Unfortunately for me, it’s in Spanish only.
This is explica.co’s description of the idea.
Figueroa’s idea is conceptually very simple. Pumping water from the sea to an elevated reservoir, using renewable energy for the process when it is not in demand. Then, in a total win-win, the writer proposes to release that water into a vacuum (as in a traditional hydroelectric power station) which would move a turbine generating electricity. But also, and here’s the genius, that salty water could fall on a semi-permeable membrane, so that it desalinated. Clean electricity and fresh water for the same price. Who gives more?
It certainly sounds feasible.
It sounds to me, though it could be paired with another idea, I read about a couple of years ago.
- A reservoir would be built on a high place close to the sea.
- Pumps driven by the waves would pump seawater into the reservoir.
- When electricity is needed, water is released from the reservoir through turbines.
- There would be no reason, why the water discharged from the turbines couldn’t be desalinated.
Never underestimate the power of innovation. Especially, when it is fuelled by convivial company and appropriate beers!
Alternative Energy Storage Technologies To Challenge Electrochemistry
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Battery and Energy Storage Magazine.
It gives a good summary of two energy storage system; Highview Power and Gravitricity, that I rate highly promising.
It also gives details of a Danish system called Stiesdal Storage Technologies, which is developing a hot rocks energy storage system.
The article says this about the system.
The pumped-heat ESS uses pea-sized crushed basalt, rock in insulated steel tanks with the stored energy released by turbine.
SST CEO Peder Riis Nickelsen said: “The cost of crushed stone is at a totally different level per unit of energy than practically any other material for energy storage. Our charging and discharging system can utilise well-known technologies that have been applied for a century within other industries and are well-suited for mass production.”
The cost of materials is estimated to be €10 ($12) per kWh.
The first demonstration project, a 1-2MW, 24h capacity unit, will be installed at a power plant in Denmark next year, and will operate commercially.
This page on the Striesdal web site, explains the technology.
It sounds like the system uses very similar principles to Siemens Gamesa ETES, with a different heat storage medium.
Conclusion
At my last count, there now appears to be upwards of half-a-dozen viable alternatives to chemical batteries and traditional pumped storage. Some of the technologies are also backed, by large companies, organisations and countries, who can afford to take a long-term view.
I hope those, who claim that renewables will never power the world, have at least got the recipe for the cooking of humble pie ready.
Gravitricity Celebrates Success Of 250kW Energy Storage Demonstrator
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Solar Power Portal.
I have already posted about this success in Gravitricity Battery Generates First Power At Edinburgh Site.
But the news story has now been mentioned in several respected publications and web sites.
So this idea, based on traditional Scottish products of heavy weights and girders seems to be getting valuable publicity.
The demonstrator is only small and uses two 25 tonne weights and a fifteen metre tower.
This is only a storage capacity of only 2.04 kWh, but the company is talking of weights totalling up to a massive 12,000 tonnes.
With a fifteen metre tower, that would be 490 kWh.
Note.
- The shafts at Kellingley Colliery in Yorkshire are 800 metres deep.
- The TauTona mine in South Africa is 3.9 kilometres deep
- In this article in The Engineer, Gravitricity talk about weights of up to 12,000 tonnes.
These are typical storage capacities.
- Kellingley – 50 tonnes – 109 kWh
- Kellingley – 12,000 tonnes – 26.15 MWh
- TauTona – 50 tonnes – 531 kWh
- TuaqTona = 12,000 – 127.5 MWh
Accountants before they invest in a company look at the financial figures. As an engineer, I look at the numbers in the science behind their claims.
If the engineering can be made to work, these figures are to say the least; very promising.
They are also beautifully scalable.
If say your application needed a 2 MWh battery and you had a 400 metre shaft available, you can calculate the weight needed. It’s around 1836 tonnes.
The Solar Power Portal article finishes with these two paragraphs.
The company will now look to rollout the technology in a series of full-scale 4-8MW projects, with conversations already underway with mine owners in the UK, Scandinavia, Poland and the Czech Republic, it said. Additionally, in South Africa Gravitricity is working closely with mine operator United Mining Services as part of a programme funded by an Innovate UK Energy Catalyst programme to identify potential schemes.
“A key feature of our full-scale projects will be their long life” added Blair. “Once built, our system can last for over 25 years, with no loss in output or degradation over time. This makes gravity storage cost-effective. And unlike batteries, we have no reliance on rare metals such as cobalt and nickel which are becoming increasingly scarce in the global drive to electrification.”
Note.
- I assume that they are 4-8 MWh projects.
- Charlie Blair is the Managing Director of Gravitricity.
- A weight of 1836 tonnes would give 4 MWh in the 800 metre shaft at Kellingley.
I wouldn’t be surprised that those owning a deep empty hole in the ground will be starting conversations with Gravitricity!
Conclusion
I am not worried, that I bought a few shares in Gravitricity in the crowd-funding last year!
All this good publicity from the BBC, Good News Network, Science, The Engineer, The Times and other media sites won’t harm my investment.
Gravitricity Battery Generates First Power At Edinburgh Site
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
This is the first paragraph.
A project to create electricity from gravity has generated its first power at a demonstrator site in Edinburgh.
This is only a demo to prove the technology, but all great oaks start as acorns.
I have great hopes for Gravitricity and I should declare an interest, as I bought a few shares in a crowdfunding.
The Anonymous Widower 