The cities of the future may take the charge in progress for a very unexpected reason — with skylines doubling as massive energy storage units.
And the idea? Not solar panels and wind turbines — think giant battery blocks lifted to the heavens and dropped back down to keep the lights on.
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the architectural firm behind iconic structures such as the Burj Khalifa and One World Trade, has teamed up with Energy Vault to make this sci-fi concept a reality.
“Here’s an opportunity to take this expertise … and use it for energy storage, enabling us to wean ourselves [off] fossil fuels,” Bill Baker, who helped engineer the Burj Khalifa, told CNN.
To spell it out, imagine a skyscraper where a motor hoists enormous blocks into the air when electricity demand is low, storing potential energy. When the city’s energy needs spike, the blocks descend, converting that energy back into electricity.
SOM and Energy Vault are on the hunt for partners to bring these battery towers to life.
Their superstructure tower could reach heights of 985 to 3,300 feet and feature hollow shafts resembling elevator shafts for moving blocks, while still housing residential and commercial spaces.
The firms are also exploring the use of pumped storage hydropower in skyscrapers, replacing blocks with water. This setup could store enough energy to power several buildings with multi-gigawatt-hour capacity.
“If you’re going high in a superstructure anyway, we’re just piggybacking on that,” Robert Piconi, CEO of Energy Vault, told the outlet.
Skeptics might question if these towers can bear the weight, both literally and economically.
But Energy Vault isn’t fazed — they’ve already built a 492-foot energy-storing behemoth in China, proving their concept works.
As the push for greener cities heats up, and with urbanization driving demand for towering structures, these energy skyscrapers could be the future. And if Piconi and SOM have their way, they’ll be the ones powering it.
SOM’s reputation building tall buildings “will help address the challenge of getting the first one built,” said Piconi.
