1st june
Researchers from the International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis have presented a new concept of energy storage: it can be used to turn high-rise buildings into batteries, reports High-tech portal.
In their study published in the journal Energy, the researchers propose a new solution for energy storage based on gravity. It uses elevators and empty apartments in high-rise buildings to store energy. The authors called the idea Lift Energy Storage Technology (LIFT). According to her, energy is accumulated due to the fact that the elevator lifts high-density materials. This is an interesting option, since elevators are already installed in high-rise buildings, which means that there is no need for additional investments. There are more than 18 million elevators in operation in the world, and many of them do nothing for a considerable amount of time. The idea is that when elevators are not used to transport people, they can be used for storage or power generation.
There are a few more details that need to be finalized before deploying the system. In particular, you need to find a place to store the loads on which the system relies, in the upper part of the building when it is fully charged, and in the lower part of the building when it is discharged.
Illustrative photo from open sources