ABB and Gravitricity to collaborate on energy storage

Edinburgh-based Gravitricity has developed GraviStore, a gravity energy storage system that raises and lowers heavy weights in underground shafts. The company said that future GraviStores will store over 20MWh, providing long-duration storage and rapid power delivery to network-constrained users and operators, distribution networks and major power users.

Gravitricity has proven the system with a scale demonstrator in Leith and is exploring the potential to deploy its technology in decommissioned mines worldwide.

With an installed base of over 1,000 hoist solutions globally, ABB will provide research and development, product development and engineering teams specialising in the design, engineering and operations of mine hoists and mechanical, electrical and control technologies for hoisting.

“As the world generates more electricity from intermittent renewable energy sources, there is a growing need for technologies which can capture and store energy during periods of low demand and release it rapidly when required,” Martin Wright, Gravitricity’s co-founder and executive chairman said in a statement.