ABB and Gravitricity are to collaborate to accelerate the development and use of gravity energy storage systems in former mines.
Gravitricity has developed GraviStore, a long-duration energy storage system that uses heavy weights in underground shafts, raised and lowered to absorb or export energy. The companies say Future GraviStores will each store more than 20MWh, providing both long-duration storage and rapid power delivery. The companies say the system can operate long term without any reduction in performance.
Gravitricity said it has already proven the system with a scale demonstrator and is exploring the potential to deploy their groundbreaking technology in decommissioned mines worldwide.
ABB supplies mine hoists and has a large installed base of more than 1,000 hoist solutions worldwide. It will provide research and development, product development and engineering teams specializing in the design, engineering and operations of mine hoists and mechanical, electrical and control technologies for hoisting.
“As the world generates more electricity from intermittent renewable energy sources, there is a growing need for technologies which can capture and store energy during periods of low demand and release it rapidly when required,” said Martin Wright, Gravitricity’s co-founder and Executive Chairman. He added, “We are already seeing significant interest from mine operators in Europe, India and Australia and this partnership with ABB – with decades of electrification and mine hoist system expertise – will help us accelerate our ambitious commercialization plans. I am delighted we are working in tandem.”