Published: 3/27/2022 2:01:12 PM
Modified: 3/27/2022 2:00:16 PM
Dear EarthTalk: What exactly is gravity energy storage and why are some environmentalists so bullish on it? — James McIntosh, New York, NYGravity energy storage, whereby engineers harness the energy in gravitational forces by connecting the momentum generated to the electric grid, is a relatively new technology that could serve to revolutionize energy storage given its low carbon footprint and engineering simplicity. Pilot programs to test the technology and bring it to scale are already underway in Switzerland, Scotland and the United States. Environmentalists are bullish about the technology as a way to bolster energy reserves beyond intermittent clean energy sources like solar and wind, and to have a better way to store energy than in costly and environmentally problematic…