Skyscrapers could be turned into massive ‘gravity batteries,’ study suggests

Since skyscrapers already have infrastructure, there would be less additional investment needed

Since the energy storage potential is proportional to the building height, researchers estimate that the combined storage potential of all tall buildings in US could be between 6.5GWh to 65GWh (Reuters)

Scientists have developed a new energy storage concept that could turn skyscrapers into giant batteries, an advance that may lead to improved power quality in urban settings.

In the new study published in the journal Energy, scientists propose a novel gravity-based concept that uses lifts and the vertical height of tall buildings to store energy.

The idea, called Lift Energy Storage Technology (Lest), stores energy by lifting wet sand containers or other high-density materials, which are transported remotely in and out of a lift with autonomous trailer devices.