A Scottish company is to test a decommissioned mine in Germany as a site to operate its energy storage technology.
Edinburgh-based Gravitricity has been contracted by mine owners Geiger Group to investigate one of the decommissioned shafts of the Grube Teutschenthal mine, near Halle, about 150 kilometers south west of Berlin.
The 760-meter deep mine was used originally for mineral extraction for the production of potash and rock salt.
Geiger Group is now using the facility as a long-term waste disposal facility, using deep underground cavities to offer environmentally sound disposal of mineral waste, especially from thermal energy plants and industry.
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It is described as "one of the most modern sites of its kind" and an important waste disposal facility in central Germany.
The news comes as the firm smashed a public crowd fund on Crowdcube, which has now hit £690,000 against an initial target of £550,000. The raise will close at the end of April.
Charlie Blair, managing director of Gravitricity, said: “This contract with Geiger Group demonstrates the growing interest in the potential to use our below-ground gravity storage technology as a cost-effective and flexible way of storing and delivering renewable energy.
“We are now having conversations with mine owners worldwide seeking to explore opportunities to develop first-of-a-kind schemes.”
READ MORE: Gravitricity links with US giant
Markus Mannel, managing director of Grube Teutschenthal, said: “Geiger Group is planning to use green energy to power existing operations at the site, and optimizing our electricity supply through gravity energy storage could open up additional benefits for our own operation as well as for the public grid.”
The Gravitricity study will look initially at the technical and commercial feasibility of using the so-called “Saale shaft” to optimise the supply and demand of green energy.
The company said work will start in May and if the initial phase of the study is positive, Gravitricity will then deliver a concept design and project development plan, offering Geiger Group the option to consider constructing a full-scale gravity energy storage plant.
READ MORE: Scottish energy storage firm to test pioneering green technology
Stephan Geiger, shareholder of Geiger Group and project manager in the energy technology sector, said: “We are very interested in the potential to use a decommissioned mine shaft to help us store and deliver low carbon power. We are committed to decarbonising our activities and this study will give us the information we need to understand if gravity energy storage can form a part of our renewable energy mix.”
It comes after Gravitricity said it is to partner with US infrastructure conglomerate IEA Infrastructure Construction, as well as plans to transform the former Darkov deep mine in the Czech Republic into a gravity energy store.
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