Energy storage is the biggest problem facing the renewable energy sector, but Gravity Power Module (GPM) LLC has released a new hydro pump to help combat this problem.
The Santa Barbara-based company’s reversible pump turbine and motor generator sits on top of an underground water circuit consisting of two sealed water-filled vertical shafts. The main bore is positioned on a large piston dubbed the weight stack – the storing unit of the system. The reverse turbine pumps the water down through the return pipe and up the main bore with the stored energy released when power demand exceeds supply.
What is new about this system is that it is highly scalable and individual units can be brought online immediately after construction. It also uses readily available, low-cost materials for rapid construction with standardized components manufactured offsite which doesn’t require additional factory capacity. The key cost drivers are local labor and the ability to sink deep shafts quickly and efficiently. GPM is also reaching outside the US in places like China, India, South Africa, and the Middle East. However, with its large-scale capabilities, it will be interesting to see if it makes its rounds to Africa’s hydro powerhouses like Ethiopia and Zambia.
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