Grid-scale gravity-based energy storage technology
Energozapas offers a ready-to-use solution for energy storage — Lifted Weight Storage (LWS) plant, which is comparable to Pumped Hydro Storage (PHS) plants in terms of economic performance but does not require use of water bodies or specific landscape.
Demand for grid-scale energy storage is growing
The rapid development of renewable energy sources (RES) and distributed generation pose the problem of effective development, reliability and regulation in the new conditions for all power systems. In particular, the demand for fast dispatchable load and supply is growing.
Worldwide, the use of storage for energy system development is growing rapidly. In the last few years, the market has been growing by tens of percent annually (Navigant Research).
Worldwide, the use of storage for energy system development is growing rapidly. In the last few years, the market has been growing by tens of percent annually (Navigant Research).
According to Energy Storage Database by U.S. Department of Energy, more than 98% of industrial-scale energy storages are PHS
In the PHS, the energy is consumed to pump water from the lower basin to the higher basin and is released when water flows to the lower basin under gravity.
Problems of further development of pumped hydro storage
Considering the opportunities at hand, we have to face a fact that PHS has a number of serious limitations, so their development has significantly stagnated in the recent years:
requires a specific ground elevation profile
ecologically unfriendly
requires a water reservoir
in case of a failure, presents risk for the surrounding area
Solution: gravity-based energy storage technology — Lifted Weight Storage
LWS operates in the same way as the PHS:
It consumes energy lifting weights up to the height of a few hundred meters
It produces energy when the weights go down as affected by gravity
Capital expenditure (CAPEX) of LWS reduces faster with the growth of capacity but slower – with the growth of power, and becomes economically sound with the capacity above 300 MWh. Storage lifetime is 50 years, roundtrip efficiency is 83%.
You can find more technical solution details in the patent description (in russian).
You can find more technical solution details in the patent description (in russian).
The working LWS prototype has been operating in the Akademgorodok (Novosibirsk) since 2017
LWS: technical advantages over pumped hydro
Requires no relief elevation
Ecologically friendly in operation
Reversible energy conversion with the cycle efficiency of at least 80%
Automated construction system
Earthquake- and wind-resistant bearing structure
In case of breakdown, causes no ecological damage and presents no off-site hazard
We are looking for partners to create an industrial-size LWS
Electricity generation, transmission and distribution companies | Large industrial consumers | EPC contractors | Investors
Contact us