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Re:Energy Vault – Gravitational Batteries by algo_trader on Monday January 11, 2021 @11:43AM (#25731463)
An "obvious" improvement is to push blocks up, and insert new blocks below (yes, u need gearing, and maybe lean them on a slope). But you get quadratic energy per tonne.

Its amazing how much energy a 250W panel outputs. Imagine storing energy from a 1MW wind mill (free pole? ;).

Re:Energy Vault – Gravitational Batteries by Retric on Monday January 11, 2021 @02:42PM (#25735166)
It’s the same total energy per bock. Their design starts out with 2 rings of stone. To simplify assume both piles are equivalent. The first layer of stones is raised by the width of a single stone. The next layer is raised twice the height of a single stone. The n+1 set is raised 2n+1 layers.

Starting with more piles means a lower initial height. But, the only things that matters when stacking is initial and final heights, and transmission losses.