Mmastodon SciencePhysics first seen 1 d ago, last 22 h ago, peak #5

Physicist urges scepticism on gravity energy storage schemes

Original: If you hear about this idea of lifting weight to store energy, be sceptical. E = m*g*h 1kWh = 3.6*10ˆ6 Joule So to store

A sceptical take on gravity-based energy storage is making the rounds: using E = mgh, lifting 1 kg would need to rise 360 km to store 1 kWh, or 10,000 kg must be hoisted 36 metres. The point: moving extremely heavy things very high is expensive, making such storage ideas impractical at scale.

Why now: Gravity energy storage startups keep pitching the concept, prompting a physics-based reality check.

gravity energy storage

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• If you hear about this idea of lifting weight to store energy, be sceptical. E = m*g*h 1kWh = 3.6*10ˆ6 Joule So to store 1kWh we need to lift one kg about 360km, or 10.000kg about 36m. Lifting really heavy things, or lifiting things really high, is not cheap. A more detailed… · iwein@mas.to · 4

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