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**SkatrySkith** · 09-01-2012, 02:17 AM

Regarding the first one, I always wondered why mechanical storage wasn't considered. Something that pushed water uphill, or compresses air, etc and can release it later would surely be cheaper than a battery to produce and install and increase in capacity? Maybe even almost as efficient as a battery in terms of the energy recovered.

Has it ever been seriously considered?

Yes, pumped hydro is common place and compressed air storage and flywheel energy storage are two others in development, though i am not sure about their deployment.

Though using storage for tradition generation is the norm as you want to buy cheap (at night when baseload generators would rather sell cheap than shut down), then sell when the price as high (during peak periods).

If there is good geography for pumped hydro, it is probably already there.

09-01-2012, 02:17 AM	#20
SkatrySkith Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 596 Senior Member	Regarding the first one, I always wondered why mechanical storage wasn't considered. Something that pushed water uphill, or compresses air, etc and can release it later would surely be cheaper than a battery to produce and install and increase in capacity? Maybe even almost as efficient as a battery in terms of the energy recovered. Has it ever been seriously considered? Yes, pumped hydro is common place and compressed air storage and flywheel energy storage are two others in development, though i am not sure about their deployment. Though using storage for tradition generation is the norm as you want to buy cheap (at night when baseload generators would rather sell cheap than shut down), then sell when the price as high (during peak periods). If there is good geography for pumped hydro, it is probably already there.
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