Abstract: A system for gravity-powered storage including a substantially vertical shaft, the substantially vertical shaft disposed underground, the substantially vertical shaft spanning a height, at least one module disposed within the shaft, the module comprising a weight, at least one module driver assembly affixed within the substantially vertical shaft, the module driver assembly comprises an electric motor/generator and a conveyor component disposed within the shaft, the conveyor component coupled to the module driver assembly, the conveyor component affixed to at least one module, the conveyor component configured to move the module within the shaft via the module driver assembly.

Abstract: The present invention provides novel designs and improved methods for the construction and operation of a gravity powered energy storage facility. This facility might also be called a gravity battery or a gravitational potential energy storage device. The device converts electricity into gravitational potential energy, and vice versa, by raising and lowering massive modules between a higher elevation and a lower elevation. These modules could maximize their mass with weight container units consisting of any heavy medium, such as water, stone, metal, concrete, compacted earth, etc. The present invention includes such designs and design optimizations which can achieve such scale. To accomplish this, the system's height is optimized by utilizing an underground vertical shaft which can provide a large height differential. And the system's weight is optimized by implementing a modular design which can evenly distribute a very large load.