Energy SRS, in collaboration with the industry expertise of four UK companies and the University of Bristol, is leading an Innovate UK approved project. With the acronym GENSSIS (Gravitational potential Energy Storage & Synchronous Inertial Stability) the project will investigate the technical and commercial feasibility of this concept.
While Gravitational Potential Energy of itself is an established concept (where E=Mgh), the main technical/engineering challenges associated with the construction of a viable grid scale installation will require innovative solutions.
The project is focused on developing this zero-emission system to achieve, at grid scale, a technology capable of storing and regenerating electrical energy.
A prototype is being designed with a target output of 3.4MW and a storage capacity of 1.2MWh's for installation in a, grid-connected, working environment to validate the concept.
To achieve the required level of energy density the prototype involves the deployment of approximately 470 tons of mass within a purpose built borehole, and the background innovation deals with this.
The project has introduced and blended many existing, proven, technologies to function in a completely new area of operation. For example, heavy lifting and borehole technology from the offshore oil and gas industry to provide cutting-edge solutions.
