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A Californian company proposes using weighted electrically-driven rail vehicles on inclines to store energy. At times when the capacity of electricity supply exceeds demand the vehicles would be driven up inclined tracks, and when demand exceeds generation they are allowed to run down, generating electricity as they fall.
This link includes a video that shows a prototype vehicle (which appears to be built on a conventional locomotive chassis), an interview with a promoter, and an animation of a "farm" of these devices. There is a shortage of hard data, such as how much energy could be stored, for how long, and how steep the tracks are, etc., but a quick calculation shows that some thousands of these vehicles would be required for them to be useful. The control panel for this prototype has a power dial that appears to go up to only 20 kW. The promoter in the interview focuses instead on how the construction material can be recycled at end of life.
(Score: 2) by Hartree on Tuesday July 03 2018, @04:11PM (4 children)
"And did we tell you the name of the game, boy? We call it ridin' the gravity train!"
(Score: 2) by Snow on Tuesday July 03 2018, @04:16PM (3 children)
Neat idea. Can they integrate it into existing infrastructure?
I'm imagining like the San Fran trolleys, but attach lead weights under them. They carry them up the hill when energy is in excess, and down when it's in shortage.
Just need an automated loading/unloading/storage system.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday July 03 2018, @04:21PM (2 children)
I'm sure the tourists on the trolley are willing to wait at the bottom of the hill until threre's a surplus of supply. And remain on the trolley at the top so the energy used to lift them can be recovered when its needed.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Immerman on Tuesday July 03 2018, @04:35PM
I think that's what the automated loading/unloading is about - the trains don't need to wait at the top of the hill to store energy, only the weights do.
(Score: 2) by Snow on Tuesday July 03 2018, @04:44PM
So basically open 2 beavertail shops - one at the top of the hill and one at the bottom?
When energy is short, open the one at the bottom of the hill and the tourists go down.
When energy is excess, open the one at the top of the hill and tourists go up.