If someone asked you to list the different types of renewable energy that existed right now, would gravity spring to mind?
It seems that batteries powered by gravity are a thing… it didn’t make any sense to me either at first.
A gravity battery is essentially a big weight (eg: a concrete block weighing several tonnes) that is lifted up high during times of surplus energy, then when supply is low the weight is lowered to generate power again.
The power during lowering is generated in different ways depending on the system and the company – Gravitricity in Scotland have the weight spin pulleys and winches to generate power. Other companies use water instead of solid blocks to turn things that generate power. Another still uses trains on downhill trail tracks with regenerative braking to create power.
Innovative? Geez yes.
New idea? Nope!
Apparently gravity has been used to power mechanical movement in things like pendulum clocks since at least the 1600’s.
Just another wacky example of how far outside the box you can go when it comes to climate innovation.
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