Gravitationsenergiespeicher

This master’s thesis, developed in collaboration with the company EnergyAlps, focuses on the preliminary design of a gravitational energy storage system. The system operates by converting potential energy into kinetic and electrical energy through the elevation and subsequent lowering of storage masses. A key innovation proposed by the partner company is the use of magnetic levitation to move these masses, as a result of that minimizing frictional resistance and improving overall efficiency.To assess the potential benefits, the magnetic levitation system is compared with a conventional wheel-on-rail system, providing both technical and economic evaluations. The thesis presents a preliminary concept for the functionality and costs of a potential facility, alongside an overview of several possible conveyor system designs.Furthermore, the electricity sales market—specifically the electricity exchange—is analyzed to demonstrate the practical potential and economic viability of the storage system. The study also includes the identification of cost-effective storage masses and the calculation of the planned facility’s efficiency, rounding off the comprehensive evaluation.