Solar Power to Create Water Based Stored Energy System?

Does this thread need moving to become an attachment to the recent solar dump thread, or something?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinorwig_Power_Station

You want a pumped storage system.

Pumped-storage hydroelectricity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I am a fan of Rube Goldberg machines and like a bit of clockwork so I have been tempted to use solar or wind to wind up a weight then use the weight to do work. I could get it to run a small fan or even open my garage door.

I might do it when it comes to the top of my spare time project list. I would like it just for the pure mechanics of it (makes me think of Doc's gizmo that fed the dog in the first Back to the Future movie or any of the many nutty proffesor gizmos.

I am curious though as to which type of system is most efficient. What uses more energy in transfer or storage, a hydroelectric storage system, batteries, or other system?

I know friction would hurt my clockwork system but I don't know how much is lost converting solar or wind to battery storage then using the battery to do work.

Drew K

The microscale pumped water power storage concept has been kicked around here many times but to be honest every single time the numbers never favor it's implementation.

Simply put the volume of water and the height requirements to equal what one common 12 volts 100Ah deep cycle battery that can be bought for around $100 Us dollars losses every time.

Unless you can make a tank about the size of a large swimming pool and have a elevation change equivalent to that of putting said pool on the roof of a three or four story building for less than what a deep cycle battery costs it's not practical.

Simpler terms. 20,000 - 30,000 gallons with a 30 - 40 foot elevation change is needed to equal the energy storage and conversion of one common deep cycle battery plus you still need the pump and turbine generator to get the electrical power converted to and back from the water itself whereas the battery just needs two wires connected.