Energy Vault is building a $50 million gravity storage facility near Snyder, Texas, set to complete in March 2024. The 18 MW/36 MWh system uses massive blocks that rise and fall to store and generate power – no fancy chemicals needed. At 60 meters tall, this clean energy project will help stabilize Texas’s notoriously finicky power grid while pumping millions in tax revenue into local schools. And that’s just the tip of the energy block.
Energy Vault’s latest gravity-defying trick is taking shape in the heart of Texas. The company is building its first gravity storage facility in the Western world near Snyder, about 250 miles west of Dallas. It’s not rocket science – just massive blocks going up and down, turning excess renewable energy into stored power. Think of it as a giant mechanical battery, minus all the toxic chemicals.
The $50 million project isn’t just another energy experiment. This 18 MW/36 MWh facility, scheduled for completion by March 2024, is proving that what worked in Switzerland’s 5 MW pilot can work in Texas-sized proportions. And let’s be honest, everything’s bigger in Texas anyway. The project follows the successful implementation of a 25-megawatt system in Rudong, China.
From Swiss peaks to Texas plains, Energy Vault’s gravity storage is scaling up to prove bigger really is better.
The local community isn’t complaining either. Western Texas College District is looking at $686,000 in property tax revenues, while the local ISD will rake in over $6 million over 25 years. Not bad for letting some blocks play elevator all day.
What makes this project special is its simplicity. When there’s excess renewable energy, the system lifts heavy composite blocks. When power is needed, those blocks come down, converting kinetic energy into electricity. No rare earth elements, no toxic waste, just good old-fashioned gravity doing the heavy lifting. The facility stands at a remarkable 60 meters in height, showcasing the latest advancements in gravity storage technology. Similar to pumped hydroelectric storage, this system helps stabilize the grid during periods of intermittent renewable generation.
The facility will plug into the ERCOT grid, helping keep the lights on during those moments when Texas weather decides to show its temperamental side. It’s like having a backup generator, except this one doesn’t burn fossil fuels or make your neighbors angry.
Energy Vault and Enel Green Power aren’t keeping their success secrets to themselves either. They’re sharing data and exploring future collaborations, because apparently, gravity works the same way everywhere. Who knew?
Construction kicked off in Q3 2022, and when finished, this project will stand as proof that sometimes the simplest solutions are the best ones. No complicated chemistry, no environmental headaches – just blocks, gravity, and clean energy storage.
Sometimes, what goes up really does need to come down.
