Large-scale energy storage is most concerned with energy storage capacity, and future energy storage technologies widely used in power systems must reach at least the MW/MWh level of energy storage scale.
T-SGES is a gravity energy storage system similar to a crane, based on existing crane equipment and modified to make it more suitable for accurately stacking heavy blocks, as shown schematically in Fig. 2 (a). 35 MWh of electricity storage by stacking standardized heavy blocks weighing up to 35 tons with a special six-armed tower crane .
In order to realize the large-scale grid connection of renewable energy and, at the same time, ensure the stable operation of the grid, especially in the case of renewable energy becoming the primary energy source of the future power system, energy storage technology will become an essential core technology in the power system .
The energy exchange volume of large-scale energy storage is enormous, and the efficiency directly determines the cost of electricity and thus affects the economic feasibility. MW/MWh scale energy storage systems have higher requirements for safety and reliability.
In the suggested rope-traction gravity storage, the weight density is typically about 2–2.5 t/m 3. The material of choice appears to be reinforced concrete with addition of cheap particulate mixtures such as fly ash, slag or recycling products, e.g., wind turbine blades, etc.
Energy storage equipment requires fast response, and quicker response speed makes it possible to participate in other energy storage services, increasing the overall revenue of the energy storage system. The service life directly affects the Levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), affecting the economic feasibility.