Over the past fifty years, researchers have been trying to develop new ways to prevent climate change while also providing better energy solutions, all in the name of discovering endless and clean energy. The inability to permanently store energy surpluses has long been a hindrance to the development of new sources of power. In this case, gravity batteries might be the answer.

Storing the surplus energy produced by wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources in batteries constructed of loads of mass rather than anything like what you use in your cellphone would be the crux of this proposed solution. To create a gravity battery, massive loads would be hoisted into the air and kept at a high altitude, only to be brought back down when additional power is required.

If that's a battery, then how does it work? The article lays out the fundamental concept, which is deceptively straightforward. Consider how gravity operates. It takes energy to move a ball up a hill, and that energy is converted into kinetic energy as the ball rolls down the hill. These gravity batteries work on the same concept as conventional ones.

When we use energy to lift heavy objects up a long, vertical shaft (like a mineshaft), we are effectively expending that energy. However, now that the mass (which may be sand, pebbles, dirt, or anything else) has been lifted, it can be dropped, generating more energy. While the gravity battery isn't exactly what you'd expect from a battery, it does provide a means of storing energy.

Although not electrical in nature, this energy may be simply transformed to draw power from the motions of the gravity batteries and transfer it to electrical wires to deliver it wherever it is needed. Scientists refer to this as gravitational potential energy. It's a completely out-there concept, but crazy ideas like these are what lead to some of humanity's greatest scientific advances.

It's also not the first time batteries have been charged by gravity. A similar gravity battery mechanism is used by an 'endless train,' which allows it to recharge as it travels downhill and keep going for as long as the track allows.