Mountain Gravity Energy Storage: A new solution for closing the gap between existing short- and long-term storage technologies

Julian David Hunt*, Behnam Zakeri, Giacomo Falchetta, Andreas Nascimento, Yoshihide Wada, Keywan Riahi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

61 Citations (Scopus)
196 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

The world is undergoing an energy transition with the inclusion of intermittent sources of energy in the grid. These variable renewable energy sources require energy storage solutions to be integrated smoothly over different time steps. In the near future, batteries can provide short-term storage solutions and pumped-hydro storage can provide long-term energy storage with large generation capacities. However, none of these technologies can provide long-term energy storage in grids with small demand. This paper proposes a new storage concept called Mountain Gravity Energy Storage (MGES) that could fill this gap in storage services. MGES systems move sand or gravel from a lower storage site to an upper elevation. The higher the height difference the greater the amount of stored energy in a given installed capacity, as this technology is constrained to the topography of the location. MGES cost varies from 50 to 100 $/MWh of stored energy and 1–2 M$/MW of installed capacity. MGES could be a feasible option for micro-grids, for example, small islands and isolated areas, and power systems where electricity costs are high, demand for energy storage is smaller than 20 MW with monthly or seasonal storage requirements.

Original languageEnglish
Article number116419
JournalEnergy
Volume190
ISSN0360-5442
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2020

Keywords

  • Cost-benefit analysis
  • Electricity storage
  • Energy in islands
  • Gravitational energy storage
  • Grid management
  • Smart grids

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