The German experiment with giant balls that the United States is already testing to store excess electricity
A group of German researchers has developed a type of battery that operates using seawater on the ocean floor.
o store electricity that would otherwise go unused, a large portion of it must first be produced—ideally through sustainable means. In this case, increasingly large wind turbines may be one of the solutions, with the largest one recently built in Europe. In this way, a team of German researchers believes they may have found a solution to the energy supply problem.
Giant spheres on the seafloor
The Fraunhofer Institute for Energy Economics and Energy System Technology (Fraunhofer IEE) has developed spherical energy storage systems. The project is based on a series of hollow spheres located hundreds of meters below the ocean surface. Each sphere is equipped with an independent electrical connection, a valve, and a built-in turbine. When the battery is depleted, renewable electricity from the grid is used to pump out water, thereby recharging the battery.
When electricity is needed, the process is reversed: the valve is opened and water rushes in under pressure, spinning the turbine and generating electricity that flows back into the grid. According to the scientists’ estimates, these devices have a lifespan of 50 to 60 years and can weigh around 400 tons. Pending further testing, the goal is to have several of these spheres off the coast of California by 2026, at a depth of 500 meters. Each unit has an energy capacity of 0.4 megawatt-hours.
Global potential
The location of these spheres makes a significant difference in their future potential. Traditionally, energy storage centers tend to have a notable environmental impact, but installing them on the seafloor presents several advantages. Dr. Bernhard Ernst of Fraunhofer IEE explains:
“The potential for expansion of conventional pumped-storage is limited, and the natural and ecological constraints are considerable. On the ocean floor, both of these factors are practically reversed. Above all, public acceptance is likely to be significantly higher.”
Moreover, placing these spheres underwater provides enough space for key parameters—such as pressure, wall thickness, and the ball’s weight—to interact effectively. Standard submersible motor pumps can also be used. According to data from the Fraunhofer researchers, each sphere could have an electrical potential of 820 million kilowatt-hours per charge, enough to supply electricity to more than 200,000 large households with several people for a year.
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