FinndBors t1_irwlvy5 wrote on October 11, 2022 at 4:15 PM

Reply to comment by platoprime in Geothermal May Beat Batteries for Energy Storage: Enhanced geothermal systems are well suited to store excess renewable power as heat. by filosoful

It's pretty stupid unless we are getting to the point where we are generating too much electricity at the wrong time and wasting it anyway.

platoprime t1_irwm0ko wrote on October 11, 2022 at 4:16 PM

But it has no advantages over water storage and is half as efficient? Why not store the extra electricity as water?

FinndBors t1_irwmv5p wrote on October 11, 2022 at 4:21 PM

Water storage requires favorable geography.

platoprime t1_irwo399 wrote on October 11, 2022 at 4:29 PM

It doesn't require it. You can create closed loop systems and dig a hole.

FinndBors t1_irwtpan wrote on October 11, 2022 at 5:06 PM

This video from Real Engineering covers a lot: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSgd-QhLHRI

It touches upon a lot of these issues. There are many solutions, some are being explored.

sunsparkda t1_irx0om5 wrote on October 11, 2022 at 5:50 PM

Digging a hole that has enough volume to store significant gravity based energy storage and won't collapse in on itself when the bottom reservoir is empty raises the price for it, both construction and maintenance. Presumably enough to make geothermal storage cost competitive.

Jiecut t1_irwnd8b wrote on October 11, 2022 at 4:24 PM

I think it's much easier to develop storage. With water storage you need a big reservoir at a higher elevation.

With this, you're storing the energy underground.