gravity for energy storage makes sense, via bloomberg

Rather than relying on lithium-ion or other types of chemical batteries, SOM and Energy Vault plan to use gravity. Energy Vault’s systems use electric motors to elevate massive blocks, creating potential energy that can be converted into electricity when they’re lowered to the ground. A rendering of a building designed to store energy. Photographer: SOM The concept is similar to widely used pumped hydroelectric plants. The company completed its first major project this month near Shanghai, a stand-alone storage system that can supply as much as 25 megawatts of power for four hours. Other new types of gravity storage systems are also in the early stages of testing, including ones using abandoned oil wells and mines. Building owners and designers have a growing number of tools to limit carbon emissions from day-to-day operations, from better insulation to heat pumps. However, there are no substitutes for the steel and concrete that are critical components of modern buildings, which together account for more than 10% of the world’s emissions. There are efforts to decarbonize those materials, but they remain far from reaching a meaningful scale. For building owners looking to zero out emissions, turning a skyscraper into a massive battery is one avenue, according to Bill Baker, a consulting partner at Chicago-based SOM. SOM has come up with four prototypes for storage systems based on this concept. Three are standalone storage systems that use either heavy blocks or water, with two that are built into hillsides and a third that’s a tall, cylindrical tower. The last is intended for urban areas, a towering skyscraper that could include residential, retail and office spaces as well as energy storage. Energy Vault’s Shanghai project is about 150 meters (490 feet) high, but SOM’s skyscraper batteries may be much higher, starting at 300 meters. Tall buildings are SOM’s specialty. Baker was the lead designer for the Burj Khalifa, the 828-meter tower in Dubai that’s the world’s tallest building, and he sees significant potential for incorporating energy storage into skyscrapers. That’s because the higher the weights are lifted when there’s a surplus of cheap electricity, the more potential energy they will hold that can be released when electricity is needed. “If I store it twice as high, twice the energy,” said Baker. “High is better.” Once a building gets above about 200 meters, a gravity-storage system could supply more than enough power to cover its operations. That’s when building operators can start to offset the carbon footprint of construction materials, with some of SOM’s designs expected to see that payback in two to four years. Still, Energy Vault has faced hurdles, including fundamentally redesigning its gravity system and offering chemical battery storage systems to customers as a way to generate revenue now. While completing the Shanghai project was an important milestone, and partners in that venture are now planning additional storage systems in China, Energy Vault’s shares have tumbled more than 85% since it went public in 2022 in a deal with a special purpose acquisition company. The idea of adding storage to a major skyscraper is fundamentally sound, according to Thomas Boyes, an analyst with TD Cowen. Planning, permitting and financing for these kinds of developments take years, however. Boyes said it’s more likely that mixed-use towers with Energy Vault technology could appear sometime in the 2030s. “It makes sense on paper,” he said. “There are underlying reasons why buildings will want this technology, but it’s a market that takes a long time.”

hydronic slab heat with low temp mixing valve, video from heatinghelp

In this excerpt from his Classic Hydronics seminar, Dan Holohan shares his knowledge about mixing low-temperature radiant heating with a higher-temperature hot water heating system. He talks about how mixing valves work, using diverter valves, and more. Want to learn more? Read Dan Holohan’s book Classic Hydronics: How to Get the Most From Those Older Hot-Water Heating Systems. https://heatinghelp.com/systems-help-center/using-mixing-valves-for-radiant-heating/

Tailan Energy announces highest energy density battery, of 720 Wh/kg

Part of the Tailan science includes a "lithium-rich manganese-based material" in the cathode, along with a wide, thin lithium composite anode. A proprietary, high-performance electrolyte also boosts its capabilities. "It has comprehensively improved the … performance of the battery and is expected to fundamentally solve the problems of battery life and safety anxiety of traditional lithium-ion batteries," the Tailan press release states. Tailan was founded in 2018. Its "latest deal amount" was worth $13.9 million, according to data collector PitchBook. They list this on their page: Researcher and developer of emerging energy technology focus on new solid-state lithium batteries and key lithium battery materials. The company develops technology of electronic special materials and resource recycling, enabling users with battery sales, battery leasing, graphite and carbon products sales and other services. Contact Information Website www.ctlne.com Ownership Status Privately Held (backing) Financing Status Venture Capital-Backed Primary Industry Electrical Equipment Corporate Office Heater production workshop, No. 225 Yuguan Avenue Yuzui Town, Liangjiang New District Chongqing China And this is how Electrec described it: Tailan unveils 120 Ah solid-state battery cell Per a press release from the battery developer posted to WeChat this week, it has achieved several technological breakthroughs in all-solid-state lithium batteries, enabling a new prototype cell that offers ultra-high energy density that could very soon power passenger EVs longer distances on a single charge. According to Tailan, those breakthroughs pertain specifically to ultra-thin and dense composite oxide solid electrolytes, high-capacity advanced positive and negative electrode materials, and an integrated molding process that culminates into an impressive 120 Ah solid-state lithium metal cell. Based on its specs, Tailan New Energy states its solid-state battery cell sets industry records in both energy density and storage capacity. In what Talian is calling a “world’s first,” the prototype cells house an energy density of 720 Wh/kg – more than double other cells currently being integrated into passenger EVs in China, like WeLion’s batteries for NIO, for example. Those 360 Wh/kg WeLion cells are expected to propel NIO EVs over 1,000km (620 miles) on a single charge later this year, so the potential of Talian New Energy’s technology to double that density in a similarly sized architectural footprint could reshape the mobility landscape. Breaking down its new prototype cell, the battery developer shared its potentially record-setting numbers stem from high-gram capacity, lithium-rich manganese-based material in the positive electrode, an ultra-wide and thin lithium composite in the negative electrode enabling high cycle stability, and a proprietary high-performance oxide composite solid-state electrolyte, which it says addresses the solid-solid interface impedance problem plaguing current solid-state lithium cells. The release goes on: Tailan New Energy improves the migration ability of charged particles inside the cathode by building an efficient ion and electron transmission network, and uses self-developed interface flexible layer materials to effectively reduce the interface impedance while also improving the interface stability, achieving It has comprehensively improved the comprehensive performance of the battery and is expected to fundamentally solve the problems of battery life and safety anxiety of traditional lithium-ion batteries. Tailan did not mention any specific plans for passenger vehicle integration yet, but did state its latest generation of all-solid-state battery cells are vehicle grade. If the company is able to scale this technology large enough for consumer vehicles while keeping prices down, it could easily double the range of the farthest-driving EVs on the road today.

How This Fusion Tech is Solving the Geothermal Energy Problem