The design firm behind Dubai’s Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, is planning to construct skyscrapers reaching 1000 meters in height that would serve both as residences and batteries. Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), the architects behind the Burj Khalifa, have teamed up with Energy Vault to explore the possibility of building taller structures with different functions.
These massive skyscrapers could function as batteries in two notable ways. Firstly, they would harness excess energy from renewable sources like solar power or from the standard electrical grid to lift weights atop the skyscraper. When electricity is needed, the weights would be released, activating generators to produce electricity.
The second proposed system, known as EVc, would utilize water instead of large concrete blocks. Water pumped to the top of the skyscraper and stored in a reservoir would be released when electricity is required, spinning turbines to generate power.
While both ideas are intriguing, practical challenges exist. These include additional construction costs, efficiency, maintenance, and the economic viability of constructing office and residential spaces within the footprint of such massive structures.
However, given the involvement of a company like SOM, known for its iconic designs, and Energy Vault’s expertise in gravity-based energy storage, the realization of this project seems within reach.
