Abandoned Mines Could Double As Power Generating 'Gravity Batteries,' Study Says

What if abandoned mines could be used to harness electricity? Scientists recently proposed something extremely fresh - they think that abandoned mines could be turned into gravity batteries.

This way, humanity would have another source of energy. When all ore has been extracted from a particular mine, it is abandoned for good. According to a new study, shafts of such mines may be used to store gravity batteries.

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How will energy generation work?

What are gravity batteries, you wonder? When a heavy load is released, it produces electricity, as New Atlas explained. This power may be used in places where grids are under high pressure.

In addition, whenever the grid has excess energy, the gravity battery is able to use that energy to "pull the load back up" - essentially storing the energy for later use.

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There are many types of gravity batteries. For instance, a pumped-storage hydroelectric system releases water from a considerable height to generate electricity by spinning turbines as the water comes down.

Also read: New Eco-Friendly Battery Is Made From Crab And Lobster Shells

In fact, last year, scientists proposed a new type of gravity battery that would turn lifts in high-rise buildings into a source of energy.

The new mine-based Underground Gravity Energy Storage (UGES) system was proposed by the same researchers from Austria's International Institute of Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA). It would also use lifts filled with containers of sand in but in shafts that are no longer in use.

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The lifts would be supported by electric motors on both sides of the shaft, generating electricity through regenerative braking on the way down. Some of that power will be used on the way up.

Also read: New Battery Made From Cheap Materials Can Ease Storage Of Renewable Energy

Scientists believe that UGES could have global energy storage potential of t-70 TWh (terawatt hours). There are a lot of abandoned mines around the world, including India.

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"Mines already have the basic infrastructure and are connected to the power grid, which significantly reduces the cost and facilitates the implementation of UGES plants," said the paper's lead author Julian Hunt.

The study was published in the journal Energies. What do you think about this interesting concept to generate electricity? Let us know in the comments below. For more in the world of technology and science, keep reading Indiatimes.com.

References

Coxworth, B. (2023, January 12). Scientists propose turning abandoned mines into gravity batteries. New Atlas. https://newatlas.com/energy/abandoned-mines-gravity-batteries/