Gravity Power: Utility-Scale Electricity Storage Systems

Gravity Power will discuss its energy storage power plants in comparison to combustion turbine plants and other storage for peaking and ancillary services power. The "Gravity Power Module" (GPM) hydraulically lifts a massive piston inside a deep vertical shaft to store energy, and releases the piston on demand to force water through a hydro turbine. Early units will supply 40-150 MW for 4 hours or more. The Company plans to sell turnkey plants, operate and maintain and joint venture or license technology in strategic markets. It is working with developers in Texas, California, New York, the Mid-East, South Africa, India, China, Turkey, France, Germany and Mexico to progress demonstration projects and commercial installations, the first to be completed in 2013.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Energy
• Storage
• Renewable

[TRMason333]

Hydraulic Hydro Storage brings new technical issues.

The piston and shaft walls would have faults and fractures that would cause them to crumble.

Seals traveling over raw, unlined rock would not last long.

The working pressure would rise as the piston is lifted, starting with head produced by 1000 meters of rock, and gradually increased by 500 meters of water. Major pump turbine problem.

What happens to an unreinforced rock column sticking 500 meters up into the air? It falls apart?

[eduardheindl]

The problem may be, that the moving mass is to expensive. A very inexpensive solution is the Hydraulic Hydro Strage system.

eduard-heindl de/energy-storage/index-e.html