What Are Gravity Batteries & Why They Are Future of Power storage?

The main issue with renewable energy is that when the sun or wind disappears, so does the power. Batteries are required to store excess power for tough times, but not all "batteries" must be chemical: gravity can be used instead! Assume you haven't been following the progress of renewable energy solutions like solar power. In that case, you might think that the main issue is getting sufficient power from solar and wind, but that's not always the case. When your renewable energy source produces more energy than you require, you must use it or lose it. This is why grid-connected solar home installations can feed power back into the grid and even pay you for it! [caption id="attachment_59607" align="aligncenter" width="1400"] Gravity Batteries | Image: Energy Vault[/caption] Off-grid solar home installations utilize battery arrays to store excess energy for use at night or when the weather is cloudy. Deep-cycle lead acid batteries have already been prevalent for this, and yet lithium-based solutions, such as the Tesla Power Wall, are becoming a better option. Gravity is the constant force that keeps us firmly rooted on the ground, and defying gravity requires a tremendous amount of energy. When you lift something onto a table, the calories you burn are transformed into potential energy, which is now stored in the object. If your cat later smashes that object off the table, the potential energy is emitted as the object falls to the ground. A gravity battery converts potential energy to electricity, but there are numerous methods for converting potential energy to electrical energy. [caption id="attachment_59603" align="aligncenter" width="532"] Image: Gravitricity[/caption] The most common example of a gravity battery today is also one in widespread use already. Power companies pump water into elevated reservoirs to store energy. Later, when they want to access that energy, the water flows through a hydroelectric turbine. These water pump turbine systems work well, but there are only so many places you can build them. The most prominent example of a gravity battery currently is also one that is widely used. Power companies store energy by pumping water into elevated reservoirs. When they want to use that energy, the water is routed through a hydroelectric turbine. These water pump turbine systems are efficient but there are numerous places where they can be built.