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The idea of using plain old gravity to store large amounts of wind and solar energy is not a new one, but the idea of deploying abandoned mines shafts to that effect is relatively recent. The big question is whether or not gravity energy storage can work economically, and mine shafts might just be the answer.
What’s Up (Or Down) With Gravity Energy Storage
Whenever the topic of gravity storage comes up, pumped hydropower is sure to get a mention. The basic idea is to push something heavy — like water — uphill when excess renewable energy is available, and then let it flow downhill to a generating station when the grid needs more electricity.
Pumped hydropower technology is old hat, having been around for about 130 years. The new challenge is that the global economy needs to add a huge…
Read the full article originally published at cleantechnica.com.