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things_U_choose_2_b t1_j0nnzj1 wrote

Whenever I see these projects, I think about something, maybe it's a dumb idea but...

considering they're using water, gravity and 'free' energy from renewables...

What if, instead of these giant reservoirs, you had a vertical tube of very very very dense liquid? Surely that would maximise the energy it could store while minimising the space used?

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Cynical_Cabinet t1_j0o2nh6 wrote

The way you do that is a hydraulic piston. Make the piston out of some really heavy materials, and then pump in water underneath to lift it. That's the only potentially feasible way to do gravity storage that isn't a traditional pumped hydro storage.

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