Engineering Practices of Gravity Energy Storage Systems

　　Gravity energy storage systems have started to move from theoretical concepts to practical engineering implementations in recent years. One of the most notable examples is the 100 - megawatt - hour (MWh) gravity energy storage project in Rudong, China.

　　This project, which completed its main structure Capping in September 2023, is a significant milestone in the field. The main building of the project, the gravity tower, is 122 meters long, 110 meters wide, and 148 meters high. It uses 12,600 gravity blocks, each weighing 25 tons, with the total weight of the tower and the blocks exceeding 800,000 tons, nearly equivalent to the weight of the Shanghai Tower.

　　The construction of this project faced numerous challenges. Given its location less than 2 kilometers from the sea, the soft and water - rich silt soil posed a major problem for building such a massive structure. To address this, a team of experts carried out extensive surveys and designed a seismic - resistant structure. Over 2,000 bored - cast - in - place piles, each 42 meters long, were driven into the ground over an area of more than 10,000 square meters, providing a solid foundation. A special concrete mixing plant was also set up to produce high - strength C70 concrete.

　　In terms of the energy storage and conversion mechanism, the project operates by using surplus electricity from new energy sources to lift the gravity blocks for "charging". During peak electricity demand, the blocks are lowered, and the gravitational force is used to drive a generator for "discharging". The power generation capacity of this project is 25 MW, and it can complete a charge - discharge cycle in 4 hours, discharging 100,000 kWh of electricity per cycle.

　　Another example is the global first 26 - MW - class gravity energy storage project, also in Rudong. After more than a year of construction, it completed the main project structure in September 2023. This project uses 96 "elevators" that operate simultaneously. These "elevators" can lift the gravity blocks at a speed of 2.2 meters per second. The entire building contains approximately 350,000 tons of gravity blocks, which are made from waste materials such as bottom ash from waste incineration, construction waste, tailings, coal ash, and fiberglass. This not only realizes the conversion between potential energy and electrical energy but also achieves the recycling of waste materials.

　　In addition, the Huailai gravity energy storage project in China was officially launched in November 2023. Located in Cunrui Town, Huailai County, it is the first gravity energy storage project in Hebei Province. This 25 MW/100 MWh project uses artificial intelligence algorithms to control the movement of storage blocks, realizing the conversion between potential energy and electrical energy. It can store electricity continuously for 4 hours and is expected to play an important role in integrating with the local power grid and promoting the development of new energy. These engineering practices demonstrate the feasibility and potential of gravity energy storage systems in real - world applications, while also providing valuable experience for future projects.

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