Major architecture firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) has announced a partnership with power storage company Energy Vault to develop an innovative energy-storing tower. This ambitious project aims to create a skyscraper that could potentially reach heights of over 3,000 feet while functioning as a building-sized battery.
“The combination of our pioneering work in gravity energy storage technology with the global track record and expertise of the most widely renowned engineering, design and architecture firm in the world will provide the first platform toward delivering accelerated carbon payback in building construction and operation for the first time,” Robert Piconi, chairman and CEO of Energy Vault, said.
The concept involves using an electric motor to store energy by raising and lowering a series of massive blocks within the skyscraper. These blocks accumulate potential energy as they are elevated and then release it by falling. In turn, it converts the energy into electricity. The entire process would take place within hollowed-out structures resembling elevator shafts, allowing the building to still accommodate commercial or residential tenants.
“When integrated into tall buildings, these systems can maximize sustainability, accelerate carbon payback of building construction and lower the levelized cost of energy consumption,” SOM said in a statement. “They can also bring sustainable energy storage to natural landscapes with minimal environmental impact.”
The idea has also raised some skepticism among experts. There are concerns about the structural modifications required to support the additional weight of an energy storage system in a skyscraper. The added complexity and potential costs of such modifications could pose significant challenges.
However, both Energy Vault and SOM remain confident in their designs, expressing optimism about the project’s feasibility. The two companies are currently seeking development partners to help bring their vision to life.
