BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

[0001] The invention is directed to an energy storage and delivery system, and more particularly to an energy storage and delivery system that stores and releases energy via the vertical movement of blocks or bricks.

Description of the Related Art

[0002] Power generation from renewable energy sources (e.g., solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power, biomass, etc.) continues to grow. However, many of these renewable energy sources (e.g., solar power, wind power) are intermittent an unpredictable, limiting the amount of electricity that can be delivered to the grid from intermittent renewable energy sources.

SUMMARY

[0003] Accordingly, there is a need for improved system to capture electricity generated by renewable energy sources for predictable delivery to the electrical grid. As used herein, the electrical grid is an interconnected network for delivery of electricity from producers to consumers and spans a large geographical region, including cities, states and/or countries.

[0004] In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the energy storage and delivery system can in one example store solar power to produce off-hours electricity. The energy storage and delivery system can move a plurality of blocks from a lower elevation to a higher elevation to store solar energy as potential energy in the blocks during daylight hours when solar electricity is abundant. The energy storage system can then operate to move the blocks from the higher elevation to a lower elevation during nighttime to drive a generator to produce electricity for delivery to the power grid. [0005] In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure a method for storing and generating electricity is provided. The method comprises operating an elevator on a tower to move a plurality of blocks from a lower elevation on the tower to a higher elevation on the tower to store energy in the blocks, each of the blocks storing an amount of energy corresponding to a potential energy amount of the block. The method also comprises operating the elevator to move the blocks from a higher elevation on the tower to a lower elevation on the tower (e.g., under a force of gravity), thereby generating an amount of electricity corresponding to a kinetic energy amount of said one or more blocks when moved from the higher elevation to the lower elevation.

[0006] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, an energy storage and delivery system is provided. The energy storage and delivery system comprises one or more modules. Each module comprises a plurality of blocks and a frame having a vertical height above a foundation. The frame includes a lower deck, an upper deck spaced vertically above the lower deck, an elevator shaft disposed between a left column and a right column of the frame that extend between the lower deck and the upper deck, and an elevator movably disposed in the elevator shaft and operatively coupled to an electric motor-generator. The elevator is sized to receive and support one or more blocks therein and operable to travel between a location above the lower deck and a location above the upper deck. The elevator is operable to raise one or more blocks from a location in the left column above the lower deck to a location above the upper deck over the left column, and to move one or more blocks from a location in the right column above the lower deck to a location above the upper deck over the right column to thereby store an amount of electrical energy corresponding to a potential energy amount of said one or more raised blocks. The elevator is operable to lower one or more blocks from a location above the upper deck over the left column to a location within the left column above the lower deck, and to move one or more blocks from a location above the upper deck over the right column to a location within the right column above the lower deck under a force of gravity to thereby generate an amount of electricity for each of the one or more lowered blocks via the electric motor-generator electrically coupled to the elevator.

[0007] In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a method for storing and generating electricity is provided. The method comprises operating an elevator along an elevator shaft between adjacent left and right columns to move a plurality of blocks between a location above a lower deck in the left or right columns to a location above an upper deck aligned with the left or right columns. Operating the elevator includes one or both of (a) lifting a block from the location above the lower deck in the left or right column, moving the block into the elevator shaft, raising the block to a location above the upper deck, moving the block out of the elevator shaft, and releasing the block to that it is aligned over its prior location in the left or right column to thereby store and amount of electrical energy corresponding to a potential energy amount of said block, and (b) lifting a block from the location above the upper deck and over the left or right column, moving the block into the elevator shaft, lowering the block to a location above the lower deck under a force of gravity, moving the block out of the elevator shaft, and releasing the block to that it is aligned below its prior location and within the left or right column to thereby generate an amount of electricity via an electric motorgenerator electrically coupled to the elevator.

[0008] In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a block for use in an energy storage and generation system is provided. The block comprises a body made of one or more of concrete, steel and compacted dirt. The body has a rectangular shape with a planar top surface and a bottom surface having two or more protrusions that extend across a width of the body. A recess is defined between the two or more protrusions, the two or more protrusions and the recess extending across a width of the body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009] The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, and in which:

[0010] FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an energy storage system, in accordance with a first embodiment;

[0011] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of an energy storage system, in accordance with a second embodiment;

[0012] FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of an energy storage system, in accordance with a third embodiment;

[0013] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of an energy storage system, in accordance with the third embodiment; [0014] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an energy storage system, in accordance with the third embodiment;

[0015] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an energy storage system, in accordance with the third embodiment;

[0016] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a block, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0017] FIG. 8A - 8D is a diagrammatic illustration of a block being moved onto an elevator, in accordance with one embodiment;

[0018] FIGS. 9A - 9B are perspective views of a rotary energy storage system, in accordance with a fourth embodiment;

[0019] FIGS. 10A - 10B are side views of a rotary energy storage system, in accordance with the fourth embodiment;

[0020] FIG. 11 is a top view of a rotary energy storage system, in accordance with the fourth embodiment;

[0021] FIGS. 12A - 12B are perspective views of a rotary energy storage system, in accordance with the fourth embodiment; and

[0022] FIG. 13 is a perspective views of a rotary energy storage system, in accordance with a fifth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0023] Disclosed herein is an energy storage system that can be operatively coupled to a large-scale electrical grid for stabilizing the electric grid and producing electricity for residential, commercial, and industrial consumers. The energy storage system draws electricity from the grid when supply is readily available, and inputs electricity back into the grid when demand is high. The energy storage system may also be operatively coupled to a solar power plant for purposes of storing electricity during daylight hours and outputting electricity to the grid during nighttime hours. The energy storage system can additionally or alternatively be operatively coupled to a wind power plant or other renewable energy generating plant.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of one implementation of an energy storage (ES) system 100. The ES system 100 includes a frame 110. In one implementation, the frame 100 can include a plurality of reinforced steel/concrete pillars, a plurality of cross members (not shown), a lower deck 112, an upper deck 114, at least one elevator 120 that travels in an elevator shaft 122, a motor-generator 150, and a plurality of ballast weights or blocks 130. The blocks 130 are stacked and stored on the lower deck 112 and upper deck 114 (e.g., within a column 11 la to the right and a column 11 lb to the right of the elevator shaft 122). The elevator 120 can be operated to move the blocks 130 between a stack on the lower deck 112 and a stack on the upper deck 114 via the elevator shaft 122. The frame 110, blocks 130, elevator shaft 122 and elevator 120 form a module. In the illustrated implementation, the ES system 100 has one module.

[0025] To store electricity or other form of energy, a block 130 is lifted by the elevator 120 from the lower deck 112 to the upper deck 114. To release energy and generate electricity, a block 130 is lowered from the upper deck 114 to the lower deck 112 (e.g., under force of gravity) by the elevator 120 (e.g., at a velocity of approximately 0.4 meter/second) and the force used to rotate the motor-generator 150 to generate electricity (e.g., based on the kinetic energy of the block 130 as it is lowered).

[0026] In one implementation, some blocks are confined to the upper deck 114 and lower deck 112 to the left of the elevator 120, while other locks are confined to the upper deck 114 and lower deck 112 to the right of the elevator 120. To the right, for example as shown in FIG. 1, there are a total of eight blocks including blocks 1-6 on the upper deck 114, block 7 being moved by the elevator 120 upward to be stacked on block 6 on the right side, and block 8 on the lower deck 112. To store additional energy, block 8 to the right may be raised and stacked on block 7 on the right side. Alternatively, to generate electricity, block 7 to the right may be lowered and stacked on top of block 8 to the right. The process may be repeated as long as there are blocks available to convert energy as required. Advantageously, the same elevator 120 can move blocks 130 on the right side of the elevator shaft 122 between the lower deck 112 and the upper deck 114, and can move blocks 130 on the left side of the elevator shaft 122 between the lower deck 112 and the upper deck 114. Blocks 130 on the left side of the elevator 120 are moved between the lower deck 112 on the left side of the elevator shaft 122 and the upper deck 114 on the left side of the elevator shaft 122, and blocks 130 on the right side of the elevator 120 are moved between the lower deck 112 on the right side of the elevator shaft 122 and the upper deck 114 on the right side of the elevator shaft 122.

[0027] Because each block 130 travels between a location at (or above) the lower deck 112 and a location at (or above) upper deck 114 so that the block 130 remains on the same side (e.g., to the left or right of the elevator shaft 122), each of the blocks 130 of the ES system 100 has a different vertical travel distance between the location above the lower deck 112 and the location about the upper deck 114. For example, when all the blocks 130 are on the lower deck 112, the top block 330 in the stack travels a shorter distance to the location above the upper deck 114 than the bottom block 130 in the stack, which must travel from the a location adjacent the bottom deck 112, past the location of the upper deck 114 to a top of the stack on the upper deck 114. Accordingly, each block 130 of the ES system 100 stores a different amount of energy when moved from the above the lower deck 112 to above the upper deck 114 (e.g., the top block 330 in the stack stores the least energy and the bottom block in the stack stores the most energy) and generates a different amount of electricity when moved from above the upper deck 114 to above the lower deck 112 (e.g., the top block 330 in the stack generates the most electricity and the bottom block 130 in the stack generates the least electricity). In one implementation, the elevator 120 can alternatively one block on the left side of the elevator shaft 122 between a position over the lower deck 112 and a position over the upper deck 114, and move one block on the right side of the elevator shaft 122 between a position over the lower deck 112 and a position over the upper deck 114, which can maintain the load on the lower deck 112 and upper deck 113 generally even between the left and right sides of the elevator shaft 122, which can reduce a stress differential on the frame 110.

[0028] In one implementation, each block 130 can be approximately 6 meters long, 6 meters wide, and 4 meters tall. However, the block 130 can have other suitable dimensions. The block 130 may be made of concrete, steel, and/or compacted dirt, for example. In one example, the total weight of a block 130 is between about 200 tons and about 300 tons, such as approximately 288 tons (e.g., eight blocks 130 can have a total weight of between about 1600 tons and about 2400 tons, such as about 2304 tons). The height (h) of the upper deck 114 can in one implementation be approximately 88.5 meters, and the overall height (H) of the elevator shaft 122 can in one implementation be approximately 120.5 meters. However, the height (h) of the upper deck 114 and height (H) of the elevator shaft 122 can have other suitable values. The amount of energy storage of the ES system 100 can in one implementation be approximately 500 kWh (kilowatt hours). The amount of power generation provided by the ES system 100 can in one implementation be approximately 1.1 MW. In one implementation, the blocks 130 may weigh as much as 150 metric tons. [0029] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a second implementation of an energy storage (ES) system 100A. The ES system 100A is similar to the ES system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 and described above. Therefore, the structure and description for the various features of the ES system 100 in FIG. 1, and the blocks 130 moved by the ES system 100, are understood to also apply to the corresponding features of the ES system 100A in FIG. 2, except as described below. The ES system 100A differs from the ES system 100 in that it includes two elevators 120 instead of one. Each of the two elevators 120 moves along its corresponding elevator shaft 122 of the frame 210 and services a stack of blocks 130 to its immediate left and immediate right (e.g., blocks are within a column I lla to the right and a column 111b to the right of the elevator shaft 122). The frame 210 can have a width W. In one implementation, the width W can be between about 20 meters and about 40 meters, such as about 36 meters. The blocks 130 (on the immediate left and immediate right of each elevator 120) can be moved between the lower deck 112 and upper deck 114. The ES system 100A operates in the same manner as the ES system 100, but the two elevators 120 of the ES system 100A allow the ES system 100A to store twice as much energy as the ES system 100 and to generated twice as much power (e.g. electricity) on demand as the ES system 100. The frame 110, blocks 130, elevator shafts 122 and elevators 120 form a module. In the illustrated implementation, the ES system 100A has one module.

[0030] FIGS. 3-6 illustrate a third implementation of an energy storage (ES) system 100B. The ES system 100B is similar to the ES system 100A illustrated in FIG. 2 and described above, which is similar to the ES system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 and described above. Therefore, the structure and description for the various features of the ES system 100A in FIG. 2, and the blocks 130 moved by the ES system 100A, are understood to also apply to the corresponding features of the ES system 100C in FIGS. 3-6, except as described below. Like the ES system 100A, the ES system 100B includes a pair of elevators 320 that can each move blocks 330 in the same manner described above for the ES system 100 and 100A (e.g., each elevator 320 can move blocks 330 immediately to the left or right side of the shaft of the elevator 320 between a lower deck 312 and an upper deck 314). For example, the blocks 330 are within a column 31 la to the right and a column 31 lb to the right of the elevator shaft 322. Unlike the ES system 100A, the ES system 100B includes five pairs of elevators standing side by side (e.g., in adjacent elevator shafts in a depth direction or into the page in FIG. 3, or as shown in FIG. 4), thus producing a matrix of elevators 320 that is two elevators wide across the front (e.g., in the X direction in FIG. 3) and five elevators deep (e.g., in the Y direction in FIG. 4). However, the frame 310 can have any suitable number of elevators 320 across the front (e.g., in the X direction in FIG. 3) and any suitable number of elevators 320 in a depth direction (e.g., in the Y direction in FIG. 40. Each elevator 320 can have a stack of blocks 330 to the left and to the right of its associated elevator shaft 322. The blocks 330 to the left and right can be stacked on the lower deck 312 or upper deck 314 and moved between the lower deck 312 and the upper deck 314. The frame 310, blocks 130, elevator shafts 322 and elevators 320 in each vertical plane form a module. In the illustrated implementation, the ES system 100B has five modules.

[0031] To store electricity or other form of energy, an elevator 320 descends an elevator shaft 322 to or near (e.g., above) the lower deck 312, picks up a block 330 (e.g., from a stack of blocks 330 on the left side or right side of the elevator shaft 322), carries the block 330 to (or above) the upper deck 314, and deposits the block on a stack of blocks 330 on the upper deck 314 (e.g., on the left side or right side, respectively, so that the block 330 on the upper deck 314 is on the same side it was when it was on the lower deck 312, or above its original position). To release electricity or other form of energy, an elevator 320 ascends an elevator shaft 322 to or near (e.g., above) the upper deck 314, picks up a block 330 (e.g., from a stack of blocks 330 on the left side or right side of the elevator shaft 322), carries the block 330 to (or above) the lower deck 312, and deposits the block 330 on a stack of blocks 330 on the lower deck 312 (e.g., on the left side or right side of the elevator shaft 322, respectively, so that the block 330 on the lower deck 312 is on the same side it was when it was on the upper deck 314, or below its earlier position). The ES system 100B, like the ES system 100A, 100, includes a motor-generator (e.g., similar to the motor-generator 150 in FIGS. 1-2) to lift and lower the blocks 330. By moving the blocks 330 between a location at (or above) the lower deck 312 and a location at (or above) upper deck 314 so that the block 330 remains on the same side (e.g., to the left or right of the associated elevator shaft 322), the ES system 100B, like the ES system 100A, 100, advantageously moves the blocks 300 so that the average load on the fame 310 is approximately constant during operation of the ES system, thereby inhibiting stresses on the system during operation. Additionally, because each block 330 travels between a location at (or above) the lower deck 312 and a location at (or above) upper deck 314 so that the block 330 remains on the same side (e.g., to the left or right of the associated elevator shaft 322), each of the blocks 330 of the ES system 100B, like those of the ES system 100A, 100, have a different vertical travel distance between the location above the lower deck 312 and the location about the upper deck 314. For example, when all the blocks 330 are on the lower deck 312, the top block 330 in the stack travels a shorter distance to the location above the upper deck 314 than the bottom block 330 in the stack, which must travel from the a location adjacent the bottom deck 312, past the location of the upper deck 314 to a top of the stack on the upper deck 314. Accordingly, each block 330 of the ES system 100B (as each block 130 of the ES system 100, 100A) stores a different amount of energy when moved from the above the lower deck 312 to above the upper deck 314 and generates a different amount of electricity when moved from above the upper deck 314 to above the lower deck 312.

[0032] FIG. 7 illustrates one implementation of a block 330. In one implementation, the block 130 used with the ES system 100, 100A in FIGS. 1-2 can be similar (e.g., identical) to the block 330 in FIG. 7. In one implementation, the block 330 is rectangular and can optionally have a substantially smooth finish on an upper surface 330a (e.g. planar upper surface), a front side 330b, a back side 330c, a left side 330d and a right side 330e of the block 330. Advantageously, the smooth surface can facilitate movement of a jack (such as the jack 810 described further below) over the upper surface 330a. The bottom surface 330f, in contrast, can in one implementation have a corrugated surface with two or more protrusions 740 and one or more recesses 742 along the length L of the block 330 that run the depth D of the block 330 from the front surface 330b to the back surface 330c. The protrusions 740 extend downward while the recesses 742 reside above the protrusions 740. The protrusions 740 contact the ground, deck (e.g., lower deck 312, upper deck, 314), other block 330, or other surface on which the block 330 is placed, and the recesses 741 extend above said surface (e.g., extend approximately 10 to 30 centimeters above said surface). In one example, the protrusions 740 are 10 to 30 centimeters tall and define openings that extend across the depth D of the block 330. In another implementation (shown in FIGS. 3-6), the block 330 has two protrusions on the edges of the block 330 so there is one recess 742a (see FIG. 5) between the two protrusions that defines a single opening that extends the depth of the block 330.

[0033] In one implementation, each block 330 can be approximately 6 meters long, 6 meters wide, and 4 meters tall (e.g. have a volume of approximately 144 cubic meters). However, the block 330 can have other suitable dimensions. The block 330 may be made of concrete, or compacted dirt or soil, for example. In one example, the total weight of a block 330 is between about 200 tons and about 300 tons, such as approximately 288 tons. The amount of energy storage of the ES system 100B can in one implementation be approximately 500 kWh (kilowatt hours). The amount of power generation provided by the ES system 100B can in one implementation be approximately 1.1 MW.

[0034] FIGS. 8A-8D show a block 330 with corrugated underside (e.g., corrugated bottom surface) and a wheeled jack operable to move the block 330. The block 330 is moved from a deck 850 to the elevator 820 and then from the elevator 820 to a different deck 850. The elevator 820 can in one implementation be similar to the elevator 120 in FIGS. 1-2 for the ES system 100, 100A and the elevator 320 in FIGS. 3-6 for the ES system 100B. The deck 850 can be the lower deck 112, 312 or upper deck 114, 314. The jack 810, which can be integrated into the elevator 820, can slide under the block 330, lift the block 330 (as described below), and then roll the block 330 back to the elevator 800, or vice versa. For example, the jack 810 can have one or more fingers sized to extend in the one or more recesses 742 between protrusions 740 on the bottom side 300f of the block 330.

[0035] The elevator 820 includes a platform 800 and the jack 810 is movable relative to the platform 800 (e.g., movably coupled or integrated with the elevator 820). The jack 810 includes a housing 811 with multiple wheels 812, one or more (e.g., multiple) lift arms 814, and upper surface 816. The lift arms 814 can optionally be rotatably attached to the housing 811 (e.g., at the upper end of each arm 814). The lower end of each lift arm 812 is connected to one or more of the wheels 812. The lift arms 814 can be rigidly affixed to a motor (e.g., electric motor) or actuator (not shown) that is operable to rotate the lift arms 814 between a vertical orientation and a non-vertical orientation. The overall height of the jack 810 is relatively low when the lift arms 814 are in the non-vertical orientation. When the motor/actuators are energized and the lift arms 814 rotated to the vertical orientation, the lift arms 814 raise the housing 811 and the overall height of the jack 810 is increased so that the upper surface 816 engages and lifts the block 330, thereby allowing the jack 810 to move the block 330.

[0036] In the process of removing a block 330, the platform 800 can be aligned horizontally with the deck 810 (see FIG. 8A). The jack 810 is rolled toward the block 330 with the lift arms 814 is the non- vertical orientation. The overall height of the jack 810 in this configuration is advantageously less than the height of a recess 742, 742a (e.g., of the corrugated bottom of the block 330). The jack 810 therefore slides under the block 330 between two protrusions 740 (see FIG. 8B) and within one or more recesses 742, 742a. Once under the block 330, the lift arms 814 are rotated to a vertical orientation which raises the jack 810 to an overall height greater than the height of the protrusions 740 and/or recesses 742, 742a, thereby lifting the block 330 off the deck 850 or off another block (see FIG. 8C). Once lifted, the jack 810 is rolled back onto the elevator platform 800 (see FIG. 8D) and the block 330 relocated to a deck 850 or stack at a different height.

[0037] To unload a block 330 from the deck 850, the steps described immediately above are executed in reverse.

[0038] FIGS. 9A-12B illustrate a fourth implementation of an energy storage (ES) system 100C. The ES system 100C includes a frame 910. In one implementation, the frame 910 can include a plurality of reinforced steel/concrete pillars with a lower deck 912, an upper deck 914, a plurality of elevator guides 920, at least one elevator 922 (e.g., elevator grabber, elevator cage) operating within elevator shaft 924, a motor-generator 950 with pulleys 926, and a plurality of ballast weights or blocks 930. The blocks 930 can be stacked and stored on the lower deck 912 and on the upper deck 914. The elevator 922 is operable to move the blocks 930 between a stack on the lower deck 912 and a stack on the upper deck 914 via the elevator shaft 924. The blocks 930 can have an arc shape 9 (e.g., be pie-shaped). The frame 910, blocks 930, elevator shaft 924 and elevator 920 form a module. In the illustrated implementation, the ES system 100C has one module.

[0039] To store electricity or other form of energy, a block 930 is lifted by the elevator 922 (e.g., elevator grabber) from the lower deck 912 to the upper deck 914. To release energy and generate electricity, a block 930 is lowered from the upper deck 914 to the lower deck 912 (e.g., under force of gravity) and the force used to rotate the motor-generator to generate electricity (e.g., based on the kinetic energy of the block 930 as it is lowered).

[0040] The blocks 930 are retrieved, for example, from a stack (e.g., on the lower deck 912 or upper deck 914) and returned to a stack (e.g., on the upper deck 914 or the lower deck 912) using a rotational motion (e.g., rotating the elevator 922 to the left or right relative to the elevator shaft 922 to retrieve or release blocks). If, for example, a block 930 is removed from above the lower deck 912 (e.g., removed from above a stack of blocks 930 on the lower deck 912), the elevator 922 (e.g., elevator grabber) securely grabs the block 930 (e.g., via a lip 925 of the elevator 922 that engages a shoulder 932 of the block 930), (optionally lifts and) rotates (e.g., by 90 degrees) the block 930 (e.g., in a first direction) from its position over the lower deck 912 to an angular position corresponding to the elevator shaft 924, raises the block 930 to a point above the upper deck 914 (e.g., coinciding with the top of a stack of blocks 930 on the upper deck 914), rotates the block (e.g., in a second direction opposite the first direction) to a position directly over the stack of blocks 930, and then releases the block 930 so that is rests on the top of the stack of blocks 930 on the upper deck 914. Similar rotational motion is used by the elevator 922 (e.g., elevator grabber) to pick up a block 930 from above the upper deck 914 (e.g., from above a stack of blocks 930 on the upper deck 914) and place it over the lower deck 912 (e.g., place it at the top of a stack of blocks 930 on the lower deck 912). The rotational motion described herein refers to a rotation in a horizontal plane with respect to a vertical axis coinciding with a longitudinal axis running through the elevator guides 920 of the frame 910.

[0041] In some embodiments, the motor-generator (not shown) resides on or near the ground and connects to the elevator grabber 922 via the pulleys 926 mounted at the top of the tower guides 920.

[0042] FIG. 13 illustrates a fifth implementation of an energy storage (ES) system 100D. The ES system 100D is similar to the ES system 100C illustrated in FIGS. 9-12B and described above. Therefore, the structure and description for the various features of the ES system 100C in FIGS. 9-12B, and the blocks 930 moved by the ES system 100C, are understood to also apply to the corresponding features of the ES system 100D and blocks 1330 in FIG. 13, except as described below. The ES system 100D differs from the ES system 100C in that it includes five frames 1310, each having a pair of elevators 1310, instead of the two towers 910, each having two elevators 920, in FIGS. 9-12B. The ES system 100D can therefore store more energy than the ES system 100C, and can generate more electricity than the ES system 100C. Each of the five frames 1310 of the ES system 100D can include a plurality of reinforced steel/concrete pillars with a plurality of lower decks 1312 and a plurality of upper decks 1314, a plurality of elevator guides 1320, a plurality of elevator grabbers 1322, a plurality of motor-generators 1050, and a plurality of ballast weights or blocks 1330. The ES system 100D can operate in the same manner as the system 100C to move blocks between the lower decks 1312 and the upper decks 1314 (e.g., by using rotational motion to remove a block 1330 from above a deck or stack of blocks on a deck, rotate the block in one direction to an elevator shaft, move the block to a different elevation, rotate the block in an opposite direction and place the block over a different deck or over a stack of blocks on said deck). Each frame 1310, blocks 1330, elevator shaft and elevator 1320 form a module. In the illustrated implementation, the ES system 100D has five modules.

[0043] To convert the stored potential energy to electricity, the elevator 120, 320, 820, 922, 1322 can move one or more of the blocks 130, 330, 930, 1330 from a higher elevation to a lower elevation (e.g., vertically lower at least partially under the force of gravity) to drive the electric motor-generator (via one or more cables or steel ribbons) to generate electricity, which can be delivered to a power grid to which the motor-generator is electrically connected. Power in the form of electricity is generated each time a block 130, 330, 930, 1330 is lowered.

[0044] Advantageously, the energy storage and delivery system 100-100D can, for example, store electricity generated from solar power as potential energy in the raised blocks 130, 330, 930, 1330 during daytime hours when solar power is available, and can convert the potential energy in the blocks 130, 330, 930, 1330 into electricity during nighttime hours when solar energy is not available by lowering one or more blocks 130, 330, 930, 1330 and deliver the converted electricity to the power grid.

[0045] Described herein are examples of an energy storage and delivery system (e.g., the energy storage and delivery system 100-100D) operable to convert electrical energy or electricity into potential energy for storage, and to convert potential energy into electrical energy or electricity, for example, for delivery to an electrical grid. Advantageously, the energy storage system requires little to no maintenance, and can operate decades (e.g., 30-50 years) with substantially no reduction in energy storage capacity.

[0046] In some implementations, the energy storage system described herein can store approximately 10 megawatts-hour (MWh) or more of energy (e.g., between 10 MWh and 100 MWh, such as 15MWh, 20 MWh, 30 MWh, 50 MWh, 80 MWh, 90 MWh) and deliver approximately 10 MWh or more of energy (e.g., between 10 MWh and 100 MWh, such as 15MWh, 20 MWh, 30 MWh, 50 MWh, 80 MWh, 90 MWh) to the electrical grid. The energy storage system described herein can deliver energy each hour (e.g., 1 MW up to 6 MW or more). However, in other implementations the energy storage and delivery system described herein can have other suitable energy storage and delivery capacities (e.g., 1 MWh, 3 MWh, 5 MWh, etc.). In one implementation, the energy storage and delivery system can optionally power approximately 1000 homes or more for a day.

[0047] The energy storage and delivery system described herein can advantageously be connected to a renewable energy (e.g., green energy) power generation system, such as, for example, a solar power energy system, a wind energy power system (e.g., wind turbines), etc. Advantageously, during operation of the renewable energy power generation system (e.g., operation of the solar energy system during daylight hours, operation of the wind power system during windy conditions), the energy storage and delivery system captures the electricity generated by the renewable energy power generation system. The energy storage and delivery system can later deliver the stored electricity to the electrical grid when the renewable energy power generation system is not operable (e.g., at night time, during windless conditions). Accordingly, the energy storage and delivery system operates like a battery for the renewable energy power generation system and can deliver off-hours electricity from a renewable energy power generation system to the electrical grid.

[0048] In implementations described above, the energy storage and delivery system 100-100D lifts blocks 130, 330, 930, 1330 to store electrical energy as potential energy and lowers blocks 130, 330, 930, 1330 to generate electricity. In one implementation, the elevator 120, 320, 820, 922, 1322 can be operated with excess power from an electricity grid. The amount of energy recovered by the energy storage system 100-100D for every unit of energy used to lift the blocks 130, 330, 930, 1330 can optionally be 80-90%.

Additional Embodiments

[0049] In embodiments of the present invention, an energy storage system, a method of operating the same, and a block for use with the same, may be in accordance with any of the following clauses:

Clause 1: An energy storage and delivery system, comprising: one or more modules, each module comprising a plurality of blocks, and a frame having a vertical height above a foundation, the frame including a lower deck, an upper deck spaced vertically above the lower deck, an elevator shaft disposed between a left column and a right column of the frame that extend between the lower deck and the upper deck, and an elevator movably disposed in the elevator shaft and operatively coupled to an electric motor-generator, the elevator sized to receive and support one or more blocks therein and operable to travel between a location above the lower deck and a location above the upper deck, wherein the elevator is operable to raise one or more blocks from a location in the left column above the lower deck to a location above the upper deck over the left column and to move one or more blocks from a location in the right column above the lower deck to a location above the upper deck over the right column to thereby store an amount of electrical energy corresponding to a potential energy amount of said one or more raised blocks, and wherein the elevator is operable to lower one or more blocks from a location above the upper deck over the left column to a location within the left column above the lower deck and to move one or more blocks from a location above the upper deck over the right column to a location within the right column above the lower deck under a force of gravity to thereby generate an amount of electricity for each of the one or more lowered blocks via the electric motor-generator electrically coupled to the elevator.

Clause 2: The system of clause 1, wherein the elevator is operable to move the plurality of blocks between the location above the lower deck and the location above the upper deck so that the average distribution of load on the foundation of the module remains substantially constant.

Clause 3: The system of any preceding clause, wherein the frame includes a plurality of columns of reinforced steel and concrete pillars. Clause 4: The system of any preceding clause, wherein each of the plurality of blocks has a rectangular shape with a planar upper surface and an opposite bottom surface with two or more protrusions and a recess between the two or more protrusions that define openings that extend across a depth of the block.

Clause 5: The system of clause 4, wherein the bottom surface has a corrugated shape with a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses, each recess defined between a pair of the protrusions.

Clause 6: The system of any preceding clause, further comprising a jack movably coupled to the elevator and configured to move the one or more blocks to the left or right relative to the elevator, the jack configured to move the one or more blocks from the location within the left column above the lower deck onto the elevator, and to move said one or more blocks from the elevator to the location above the upper deck over the left column, the jack further configured to move the one or more blocks from the location within the right column above the lower deck onto the elevator, and to move said one or more blocks from the elevator to the location above the upper deck over the right column.

Clause 7: The system of clause 6, wherein the jack is configured to move the one or more blocks from the location above the upper deck over the left column onto the elevator, and to move said one or more blocks from the elevator to the location within the left column over the lower deck, and wherein the jack is configured to move the one or more blocks from the location above the upper deck over the right column onto the elevator, and to move said one or more blocks from the elevator to the location within the right column over the lower deck.

Clause 8: The system of clause 6, wherein the jack has a housing with multiple wheels that allow the jack to move relative to the elevator and one or more lift arms actuatable between a vertical orientation and a non- vertical orientation, wherein when the lift arms are in the nonvertical orientation the housing has a smaller height than the one or more recesses and can extend within the one or more recesses of the block to at least partially position the jack under the block, the lift arms actuatable into the vertical orientation to increase a height of the jack so that the housing engages and lifts the block from a supporting surface to allow the jack to support and move the block. Clause 9: The system of any preceding clause, wherein each module includes two elevator shafts, each elevator shaft disposed between adjacent left and right columns of the frame.

Clause 10: The system of any preceding clause, wherein the one or more modules are five modules arranged in-line adjacent each other in a depth direction.

Clause 11: The system of any preceding clause, wherein the elevator is rotatable in a horizontal plane about an elevator guide with respect to a vertical axis coinciding with a longitudinal axis running through the frame.

Clause 12: The system of clause 11, wherein the elevator is configured to move a block from the location above the lower deck to the location above the upper deck by operating the elevator to a) securely grab the block via a lip of the elevator that engages a shoulder of the block, b) rotate the block in the horizontal plane in a first direction to an angular position corresponding to the elevator shaft, c) raise the block to a location above the upper deck, d) rotate the block in a second direction opposite the first direction to a position above the upper deck, and e) release the block so that it rests on the upper deck or on a stack of blocks on the upper deck.

Clause 13: The system of any of clauses 11-12, wherein the elevator is configured to move a block from the location above the upper deck to the location above the lower deck by operating the elevator to a) securely grab the block via a lip of the elevator that engages a shoulder of the block, b) rotate the block in the horizontal plane in a first direction to an angular position corresponding to the elevator shaft, c) lower the block to a location above the lower deck, d) rotate the block in a second direction opposite the first direction to a position above the lower deck, and e) release the block so that it rests on the lower deck or on a stack of blocks on the lower deck.

Clause 14: A method for storing and generating electricity, comprising: operating an elevator along an elevator shaft between adjacent left and right columns to move a plurality of blocks between a location above a lower deck in the left or right columns to a location above an upper deck aligned with the left or right columns, wherein operating the elevator includes one or both of: lifting a block from the location above the lower deck in the left or right column, moving the block into the elevator shaft, raising the block to a location above the upper deck, moving the block out of the elevator shaft, and releasing the block to that it is aligned over its prior location in the left or right column to thereby store and amount of electrical energy corresponding to a potential energy amount of said block, and lifting a block from the location above the upper deck and over the left or right column, moving the block into the elevator shaft, lowering the block to a location above the lower deck under a force of gravity, moving the block out of the elevator shaft, and releasing the block to that it is aligned below its prior location and within the left or right column to thereby generate an amount of electricity via an electric motor-generator electrically coupled to the elevator.

Clause 15: The method of clause 14, wherein moving the one or more blocks between the location above the lower deck in the left or right columns and the location above the upper deck in the left or right columns includes positioning the blocks so that the average distribution of load on a foundation of the frame remains substantially constant.

Clause 16: The method of any of clauses 14-15, wherein moving the block into the elevator shaft and moving the block out of the elevator shaft comprises moving a jack supporting the block into or out of the elevator, wherein lifting the block includes moving the jack underneath the block and actuating the jack into a raised configuration so that it can support and move the block, and wherein releasing the block includes actuating the jack into a lowered configuration so that it can separate and move from underneath the block.

Clause 17: The method of any of clauses 14-16, wherein moving the block into the elevator shaft and moving the block out of the elevator shaft comprises rotating the elevator in a horizontal plane about an elevator guide.

Clause 18: The method of clause 17, wherein moving the block from the location above the lower deck to the location above the upper deck includes a) securely grabbing the block via a lip of the elevator that engages a shoulder of the block, b) rotating the block in the horizontal plane in a first direction to an angular position corresponding to the elevator shaft, c) raising the block to a location above the upper deck, d) rotating the block in a second direction opposite the first direction to a position above the upper deck, and e) releasing the block so that it rests on the upper deck or on a stack of blocks on the upper deck.

Clause 19: The method of any of clauses 17-18, wherein moving the block from the location above the upper deck to the location above the lower deck includes a) securely grabbing the block via a lip of the elevator that engages a shoulder of the block, b) rotating the block in the horizontal plane in a first direction to an angular position corresponding to the elevator shaft, c) lowering the block to a location above the lower deck, d) rotating the block in a second direction opposite the first direction to a position above the lower deck, and e) releasing the block so that it rests on the lower deck or on a stack of blocks on the lower deck.

Clause 20: A block for use in an energy storage and generation system of any preceding clause, comprising: a body made of one or more of concrete, steel and compacted dirt, the body having a rectangular shape with a planar top surface and a bottom surface having two or more protrusions that extend across a width of the body and a recess defined between the two or more protrusions, the two or more protrusions and the recess extending across a width of the body.

Clause 21: The block of clause 20, wherein the bottom surface has a corrugated shape with a plurality of protrusions and a plurality of recesses, each recess defined between a pair of protrusions.

[0050] While certain embodiments of the inventions have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosure. Indeed, the novel methods and systems described herein may be embodied in a variety of other forms. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions and changes in the systems and methods described herein may be made without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. The accompanying claims and their equivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as would fall within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. Accordingly, the scope of the present inventions is defined only by reference to the appended claims.

[0051] Features, materials, characteristics, or groups described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment, or example are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described in this section or elsewhere in this specification unless incompatible therewith. All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. The protection is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments. The protection extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

[0052] Furthermore, certain features that are described in this disclosure in the context of separate implementations can also be implemented in combination in a single implementation. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single implementation can also be implemented in multiple implementations separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations, one or more features from a claimed combination can, in some cases, be excised from the combination, and the combination may be claimed as a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

[0053] Moreover, while operations may be depicted in the drawings or described in the specification in a particular order, such operations need not be performed in the particular order shown or in sequential order, or that all operations be performed, to achieve desirable results. Other operations that are not depicted or described can be incorporated in the example methods and processes. For example, one or more additional operations can be performed before, after, simultaneously, or between any of the described operations. Further, the operations may be rearranged or reordered in other implementations. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that in some embodiments, the actual steps taken in the processes illustrated and/or disclosed may differ from those shown in the figures. Depending on the embodiment, certain of the steps described above may be removed, others may be added. Furthermore, the features and attributes of the specific embodiments disclosed above may be combined in different ways to form additional embodiments, all of which fall within the scope of the present disclosure. Also, the separation of various system components in the implementations described above should not be understood as requiring such separation in all implementations, and it should be understood that the described components and systems can generally be integrated together in a single product or packaged into multiple products.

[0054] For purposes of this disclosure, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features are described herein. Not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the disclosure may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves one advantage or a group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.

[0055] Conditional language, such as “can,” “could,” “might,” or “may,” unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements, and/or steps. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements, and/or steps are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without user input or prompting, whether these features, elements, and/or steps are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.

[0056] Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y, and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to convey that an item, term, etc. may be either X, Y, or Z. Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require the presence of at least one of X, at least one of Y, and at least one of Z.

[0057] Language of degree used herein, such as the terms “approximately,” “about,” “generally,” and “substantially” as used herein represent a value, amount, or characteristic close to the stated value, amount, or characteristic that still performs a desired function or achieves a desired result. For example, the terms “approximately”, “about”, “generally,” and “substantially” may refer to an amount that is within less than 10% of, within less than 5% of, within less than 1% of, within less than 0.1% of, and within less than 0.01% of the stated amount. As another example, in certain embodiments, the terms “generally parallel” and “substantially parallel” refer to a value, amount, or characteristic that departs from exactly parallel by less than or equal to 15 degrees, 10 degrees, 5 degrees, 3 degrees, 1 degree, or 0.1 degree. [0058] The scope of the present disclosure is not intended to be limited by the specific disclosures of preferred embodiments in this section or elsewhere in this specification, and may be defined by claims as presented in this section or elsewhere in this specification or as presented in the future. The language of the claims is to be interpreted broadly based on the language employed in the claims and not limited to the examples described in the present specification or during the prosecution of the application, which examples are to be construed as non-exclusive.