IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v190y2020ics0360544219321140.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Mountain Gravity Energy Storage: A new solution for closing the gap between existing short- and long-term storage technologies

Author

Listed:
  • Hunt, Julian David
  • Zakeri, Behnam
  • Falchetta, Giacomo
  • Nascimento, Andreas
  • Wada, Yoshihide
  • Riahi, Keywan

Abstract

The world is undergoing an energy transition with the inclusion of intermittent sources of energy in the grid. These variable renewable energy sources require energy storage solutions to be integrated smoothly over different time steps. In the near future, batteries can provide short-term storage solutions and pumped-hydro storage can provide long-term energy storage with large generation capacities. However, none of these technologies can provide long-term energy storage in grids with small demand. This paper proposes a new storage concept called Mountain Gravity Energy Storage (MGES) that could fill this gap in storage services. MGES systems move sand or gravel from a lower storage site to an upper elevation. The higher the height difference the greater the amount of stored energy in a given installed capacity, as this technology is constrained to the topography of the location. MGES cost varies from 50 to 100 $/MWh of stored energy and 1–2 M$/MW of installed capacity. MGES could be a feasible option for micro-grids, for example, small islands and isolated areas, and power systems where electricity costs are high, demand for energy storage is smaller than 20 MW with monthly or seasonal storage requirements.

Suggested Citation

  • Hunt, Julian David & Zakeri, Behnam & Falchetta, Giacomo & Nascimento, Andreas & Wada, Yoshihide & Riahi, Keywan, 2020. "Mountain Gravity Energy Storage: A new solution for closing the gap between existing short- and long-term storage technologies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:190:y:2020:i:c:s0360544219321140
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.116419
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544219321140
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2019.116419?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gils, Hans Christian & Simon, Sonja, 2017. "Carbon neutral archipelago – 100% renewable energy supply for the Canary Islands," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 342-355.
    2. Rodrigues, E.M.G. & Godina, R. & Santos, S.F. & Bizuayehu, A.W. & Contreras, J. & Catalão, J.P.S., 2014. "Energy storage systems supporting increased penetration of renewables in islanded systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 265-280.
    3. Zakeri, Behnam & Syri, Sanna, 2015. "Electrical energy storage systems: A comparative life cycle cost analysis," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 569-596.
    4. Yang, Yuqing & Bremner, Stephen & Menictas, Chris & Kay, Merlinde, 2018. "Battery energy storage system size determination in renewable energy systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 109-125.
    5. Jurasz, Jakub & Beluco, Alexandre & Canales, Fausto A., 2018. "The impact of complementarity on power supply reliability of small scale hybrid energy systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 737-743.
    6. Sigrist, L. & Lobato, E. & Rouco, L. & Gazzino, M. & Cantu, M., 2017. "Economic assessment of smart grid initiatives for island power systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 403-415.
    7. Meschede, Henning & Holzapfel, Peter & Kadelbach, Florian & Hesselbach, Jens, 2016. "Classification of global island regarding the opportunity of using RES," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 175(C), pages 251-258.
    8. Aneke, Mathew & Wang, Meihong, 2016. "Energy storage technologies and real life applications – A state of the art review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 350-377.
    9. Newbery, David, 2018. "Shifting demand and supply over time and space to manage intermittent generation: The economics of electrical storage," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 711-720.
    10. Luo, Xing & Wang, Jihong & Dooner, Mark & Clarke, Jonathan, 2015. "Overview of current development in electrical energy storage technologies and the application potential in power system operation," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 511-536.
    11. Steinmann, Wolf-Dieter & Bauer, Dan & Jockenhöfer, Henning & Johnson, Maike, 2019. "Pumped thermal energy storage (PTES) as smart sector-coupling technology for heat and electricity," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 185-190.
    12. Luburić, Zora & Pandžić, Hrvoje & Plavšić, Tomislav & Teklić, Ljupko & Valentić, Vladimir, 2018. "Role of energy storage in ensuring transmission system adequacy and security," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 156(C), pages 229-239.
    13. Ferreira, Helder Lopes & Garde, Raquel & Fulli, Gianluca & Kling, Wil & Lopes, Joao Pecas, 2013. "Characterisation of electrical energy storage technologies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 288-298.
    14. Kuang, Yonghong & Zhang, Yongjun & Zhou, Bin & Li, Canbing & Cao, Yijia & Li, Lijuan & Zeng, Long, 2016. "A review of renewable energy utilization in islands," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 504-513.
    15. Hahn, Henning & Hau, Daniel & Dick, Christian & Puchta, Matthias, 2017. "Techno-economic assessment of a subsea energy storage technology for power balancing services," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 121-127.
    16. Neves, Diana & Silva, Carlos A. & Connors, Stephen, 2014. "Design and implementation of hybrid renewable energy systems on micro-communities: A review on case studies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 935-946.
    17. Taibi, Emanuele & Fernández del Valle, Carlos & Howells, Mark, 2018. "Strategies for solar and wind integration by leveraging flexibility from electric vehicles: The Barbados case study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 65-78.
    18. Hamdy, Sarah & Morosuk, Tatiana & Tsatsaronis, George, 2019. "Exergoeconomic optimization of an adiabatic cryogenics-based energy storage system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 812-824.
    19. Kapila, Sahil & Oni, Abayomi Olufemi & Kumar, Amit, 2017. "The development of techno-economic models for large-scale energy storage systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(P1), pages 656-672.
    20. Javed, Muhammad Shahzad & Song, Aotian & Ma, Tao, 2019. "Techno-economic assessment of a stand-alone hybrid solar-wind-battery system for a remote island using genetic algorithm," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 704-717.
    21. Butera, Giacomo & Jensen, Søren Højgaard & Clausen, Lasse Røngaard, 2019. "A novel system for large-scale storage of electricity as synthetic natural gas using reversible pressurized solid oxide cells," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 166(C), pages 738-754.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hunt, Julian David & Nascimento, Andreas & Zakeri, Behnam & Barbosa, Paulo Sérgio Franco, 2022. "Hydrogen Deep Ocean Link: a global sustainable interconnected energy grid," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    2. Wu, Xiong & Li, Nailiang & He, Mingkang & Wang, Xiuli & Ma, Song & Cao, Jingjing, 2022. "Risk-constrained day-ahead scheduling for gravity energy storage system and wind turbine based on IGDT," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 904-915.
    3. Jurasz, Jakub & Piasecki, Adam & Hunt, Julian & Zheng, Wandong & Ma, Tao & Kies, Alexander, 2022. "Building integrated pumped-storage potential on a city scale: An analysis based on geographic information systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    4. Julian David Hunt & Behnam Zakeri & Jakub Jurasz & Wenxuan Tong & Paweł B. Dąbek & Roberto Brandão & Epari Ritesh Patro & Bojan Đurin & Walter Leal Filho & Yoshihide Wada & Bas van Ruijven & Keywan Ri, 2023. "Underground Gravity Energy Storage: A Solution for Long-Term Energy Storage," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-20, January.
    5. Magnus de Witt & Hlynur Stefánsson & Ágúst Valfells & Joan Nymand Larsen, 2021. "Availability and Feasibility of Renewable Resources for Electricity Generation in the Arctic: The Cases of Longyearbyen, Maniitsoq, and Kotzebue," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-20, August.
    6. Groppi, Daniele & Pfeifer, Antun & Garcia, Davide Astiaso & Krajačić, Goran & Duić, Neven, 2021. "A review on energy storage and demand side management solutions in smart energy islands," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    7. Julian David Hunt & Andreas Nascimento & Oldrich Joel Romero Guzman & Gilton Carlos de Andrade Furtado & Carla Schwengber ten Caten & Fernanda Munari Caputo Tomé & Walter Leal Filho & Bojan Đurin & Ma, 2022. "Sedimentary Basin Water and Energy Storage: A Low Environmental Impact Option for the Bananal Basin," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-18, June.
    8. Kropotin, P. & Marchuk, I., 2024. "Analytical and quantitative assessment of capital expenditures for construction of an aboveground suspended weight energy storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    9. Hunt, Julian David & Jurasz, Jakub & Zakeri, Behnam & Nascimento, Andreas & Cross, Samuel & Caten, Carla Schwengber ten & de Jesus Pacheco, Diego Augusto & Pongpairoj, Pharima & Filho, Walter Leal & T, 2022. "Electric Truck Hydropower, a flexible solution to hydropower in mountainous regions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    10. Jarosław Kulpa & Paweł Kamiński & Kinga Stecuła & Dariusz Prostański & Piotr Matusiak & Daniel Kowol & Michał Kopacz & Piotr Olczak, 2021. "Technical and Economic Aspects of Electric Energy Storage in a Mine Shaft—Budryk Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-14, November.
    11. de Witt, Magnus & Stefánsson, Hlynur & Valfells, Ágúst & Larsen, Joan Nymand, 2021. "Energy resources and electricity generation in Arctic areas," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 144-156.
    12. Julian David Hunt & Behnam Zakeri & Andreas Nascimento & Diego Augusto de Jesus Pacheco & Epari Ritesh Patro & Bojan Đurin & Márcio Giannini Pereira & Walter Leal Filho & Yoshihide Wada, 2023. "Isothermal Deep Ocean Compressed Air Energy Storage: An Affordable Solution for Seasonal Energy Storage," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-18, March.
    13. Hunt, Julian David & Nascimento, Andreas & Zakeri, Behnam & Barbosa, Paulo Sérgio Franco & Costalonga, Leandro, 2022. "Seawater air-conditioning and ammonia district cooling: A solution for warm coastal regions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PB).
    14. Hunt, Julian David & Nascimento, Andreas & Zakeri, Behnam & Jurasz, Jakub & Dąbek, Paweł B. & Barbosa, Paulo Sergio Franco & Brandão, Roberto & de Castro, Nivalde José & Leal Filho, Walter & Riahi, Ke, 2022. "Lift Energy Storage Technology: A solution for decentralized urban energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PA).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hunt, Julian David & Nascimento, Andreas & Zakeri, Behnam & Jurasz, Jakub & Dąbek, Paweł B. & Barbosa, Paulo Sergio Franco & Brandão, Roberto & de Castro, Nivalde José & Leal Filho, Walter & Riahi, Ke, 2022. "Lift Energy Storage Technology: A solution for decentralized urban energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PA).
    2. Julian David Hunt & Behnam Zakeri & Jakub Jurasz & Wenxuan Tong & Paweł B. Dąbek & Roberto Brandão & Epari Ritesh Patro & Bojan Đurin & Walter Leal Filho & Yoshihide Wada & Bas van Ruijven & Keywan Ri, 2023. "Underground Gravity Energy Storage: A Solution for Long-Term Energy Storage," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-20, January.
    3. Dorotić, Hrvoje & Doračić, Borna & Dobravec, Viktorija & Pukšec, Tomislav & Krajačić, Goran & Duić, Neven, 2019. "Integration of transport and energy sectors in island communities with 100% intermittent renewable energy sources," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 109-124.
    4. Bertheau, Paul, 2020. "Supplying not electrified islands with 100% renewable energy based micro grids: A geospatial and techno-economic analysis for the Philippines," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    5. Meschede, Henning & Dunkelberg, Heiko & Stöhr, Fabian & Peesel, Ron-Hendrik & Hesselbach, Jens, 2017. "Assessment of probabilistic distributed factors influencing renewable energy supply for hotels using Monte-Carlo methods," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 86-100.
    6. Alanne, Kari & Cao, Sunliang, 2019. "An overview of the concept and technology of ubiquitous energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 284-302.
    7. Chong, Lee Wai & Wong, Yee Wan & Rajkumar, Rajprasad Kumar & Rajkumar, Rajpartiban Kumar & Isa, Dino, 2016. "Hybrid energy storage systems and control strategies for stand-alone renewable energy power systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 174-189.
    8. Kapila, Sahil & Oni, Abayomi Olufemi & Kumar, Amit, 2017. "The development of techno-economic models for large-scale energy storage systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(P1), pages 656-672.
    9. Alessandro Corsini & Eileen Tortora, 2018. "Sea-Water Desalination for Load Levelling of Gen-Sets in Small Off-Grid Islands," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-18, August.
    10. Yang, Yuqing & Bremner, Stephen & Menictas, Chris & Kay, Merlinde, 2022. "Modelling and optimal energy management for battery energy storage systems in renewable energy systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    11. Frate, Guido Francesco & Ferrari, Lorenzo & Desideri, Umberto, 2021. "Energy storage for grid-scale applications: Technology review and economic feasibility analysis," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 1754-1772.
    12. Colmenar-Santos, Antonio & Molina-Ibáñez, Enrique-Luis & Rosales-Asensio, Enrique & Blanes-Peiró, Jorge-Juan, 2018. "Legislative and economic aspects for the inclusion of energy reserve by a superconducting magnetic energy storage: Application to the case of the Spanish electrical system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2455-2470.
    13. Bertheau, Paul & Blechinger, Philipp, 2018. "Resilient solar energy island supply to support SDG7 on the Philippines: Techno-economic optimized electrification strategy for small islands," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 55-77.
    14. Xiaotong Qie & Rui Zhang & Yanyong Hu & Xialing Sun & Xue Chen, 2021. "A Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach for Energy Storage Technology Selection Based on Demand," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-29, October.
    15. Lammers, Katrin & Bertheau, Paul & Blechinger, Philipp, 2020. "Exploring requirements for sustainable energy supply planning with regard to climate resilience of Southeast Asian islands," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    16. Xu, Ying & Ren, Li & Zhang, Zhongping & Tang, Yuejin & Shi, Jing & Xu, Chen & Li, Jingdong & Pu, Dongsheng & Wang, Zhuang & Liu, Huajun & Chen, Lei, 2018. "Analysis of the loss and thermal characteristics of a SMES (Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage) magnet with three practical operating conditions," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 372-384.
    17. Zhao, Yongliang & Song, Jian & Liu, Ming & Zhao, Yao & Olympios, Andreas V. & Sapin, Paul & Yan, Junjie & Markides, Christos N., 2022. "Thermo-economic assessments of pumped-thermal electricity storage systems employing sensible heat storage materials," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 186(C), pages 431-456.
    18. Gioutsos, Dean Marcus & Blok, Kornelis & van Velzen, Leonore & Moorman, Sjoerd, 2018. "Cost-optimal electricity systems with increasing renewable energy penetration for islands across the globe," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 226(C), pages 437-449.
    19. Gallo, A.B. & Simões-Moreira, J.R. & Costa, H.K.M. & Santos, M.M. & Moutinho dos Santos, E., 2016. "Energy storage in the energy transition context: A technology review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 800-822.
    20. Liu, Shuai & Wei, Li & Wang, Huai, 2020. "Review on reliability of supercapacitors in energy storage applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:190:y:2020:i:c:s0360544219321140. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.