Gravity Energy Storage
07.11.2024
Gravity Energy Storage
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For Prelims: About Gravity Energy Storage, Advantages of Gravity Energy Storage |
Why in the news?
Gravity energy storage is emerging as a viable solution to address a major challenge of solar and wind power.
About Gravity Energy Storage:
- It is a new technology that stores energy using gravity.
How does it work?
- It involves lifting a heavy mass during excess energy generation and releasing it to produce electricity when demand rises or solar energy is unavailable.
- The types of weights used are often water, concrete blocks or compressed earth blocks.
- Unlike pumped-hydro energy storage, gravity energy storage offers more flexibility in site selection.
- A typical setup involves a heavy piston within a fluid-filled cylindrical container.
- When solar energy production exceeds demand, surplus electricity lifts the piston, converting the surplus electrical energy into stored energy.
- When demand surpasses supply, the piston descends, driving water through a turbine to generate electricity supply to meet demand.
Advantages of Gravity Energy Storage:
- It can last for decades with minimal maintenance, unlike batteries that degrade over time.
- It avoids harmful chemical reactions, reducing environmental impact and disposal issues, an important consideration in the move towards a greener planet.
- It can also be more cost-effective for large-scale applications, with lower level costs of energy and storage.
- It is particularly advantageous in areas with space constraints or environmental concerns that restrict the deployment of other storage systems.
Source: Down to earth
Consider the following statements regarding the Gravity energy storage:
1. It is a new technology that stores energy using gravity.
2. It is more cost-effective for large-scale applications, with lower level costs of energy and storage.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
A.1 only
B.2 only
C.Both 1 and 2
D.Neither 1 nor 2
Answer C