Abstract: An energy storage system and method that enables gravity-based energy storage to have a significantly larger capacity in a single shaft for given capital cost and thus an improved cost per unit energy for large scale energy storage as well as enabling continuity of power input and output at an external connection point across the extent of the system's energy capacity comprises a multi-weight storage system having at least two weights, two transporters each with a transporter linkage that can be coupled to and decoupled from the respective weight and for transporting the weight along a pre-defined path defining a vertical displacement and defining a respective path volume, a second linkage path volume defined by the area of the second linkage decoupled from a weight and developed or swept along a respective pre-defined vertically displaced path, wherein the second linkage path volume does not overlap with the first path volume.

Abstract: An energy storage system and method that enables gravity-based energy storage to have a significantly larger capacity in a single shaft for given capital cost and thus an improved cost per unit energy for large scale energy storage as well as enabling continuity of power input and output at an external connection point across the extent of the system's energy capacity comprises a multi-weight storage system having at least two weights, two transporters each with a transporter linkage that can be coupled to and decoupled from the respective weight and for transporting the weight along a pre-defined path defining a vertical displacement and defining a respective path volume, a second linkage path volume defined by the area of the second linkage decoupled from a weight and developed or swept along a respective pre-defined vertically displaced path, wherein the second linkage path volume does not overlap with the first path volume.