Concrete Energy Storage Calculations

• 1 cubic meter of concrete weighs 2400 kg
• MGH - energy if taken up to 100 meters with a crane
• Common cranes are 80m max and 20ton capacity - [1]
• Take 30 meters tall and 2.5 ton capacity (practical village scale). Can double up as an observatory or sky diner on top.
• Take 2.5 ton weights - about a cubic meter
• One 2.5 ton weight raised 30 meters - takes MGH=2500*10*30=750,000 joules=750k watt-seconds
• 750kWs=20 kW minutes = 0.3 kWhr
• Not bad.
• Take 30 such blocks - about 30 meters tall - one column - and energy in there is 30*2500*10*15 - with 15 average height raise.
• That is 4.5 kWhr
• To make this practical - would need many such towers. Geometry, stabilization, handling are the keys - how to achieve a sound design?
• In principle sounds like a great idea, if the automation and CV AI can help
• For much smaller scale - say 10 meters tall and blocks of 2 tons - take 100 blocks -
• $100/cu yd of concrete - bioconcrete or burned limestone could be a trick here.
• Take 100 yards of concrete mix - $10,000
• Tower - $10k in materials
• $20k cost total
• 100 blocks * 2500*10*5=12.5 MJ = 3.5 kWhr * 80% efficiency = 2.8Kwhr
• 2.8kWhr for $20k? Doesn't make sense.
• Check out this crane for 140' tall, 30 ton capacity - $25k - [2]