China commissions the world's first commercial gravity battery.

[u/BitschWack]

*"The principle of operation of a gravitational battery is much simpler than lithium-ion batteries. Basically, it's just a system of cranes that raise and lower concrete blocks.

The design include hoists that lift 30-ton composite blocks using an electric motor. The raised blocks are stacked on top of each other, which creates potential energy. At the moment when the consumer needs energy, the blocks fall under the influence of gravity, and the energy released in this process is collected and sent to where it required. The plant is capable of storing up to 100 MWh of energy and delivering 25 MW of power."*

[u/Error83_NoUserName]

100kg of concrete has exactly the same potential energy as 100kg of water... Physics is Physics. This is overcomplicating a simple problem.

Maybe in flat areas, or areas without water, but even then... Build a simple hydropower plant in a mountainous area and some high voltage lines. China has already some 1 000 000Vdc lines.

If you can pomp water 2000m up, it will hold 10x the energy then want it is only 200m up with the same footprint. That is true efficiency!

[u/Scrapple_Joe → u/Error83_NoUserName]

What about hot or dry areas where the water would evaporate and you'd lose all that energy?

Or if you had this idea and paid people a whole lot of money to pick your project.

[u/VirinaB → u/Scrapple_Joe]

How does water evaporate from sealed containers? 🤦

[u/Scrapple_Joe → u/VirinaB]

I thought they usually used a lake reservoir for pumped hydro