Dutch company Ocean Grazer has created an “ocean battery” that has the ability to store renewable energy at the bottom of the sea. The battery was shown at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, USA

Called “Ocean Battery”, the new battery is a gradual and modular solution for storing energy, on a public service scale, which is produced by renewable sources such as wind turbines and floating solar parks at sea. The ocean battery is a pumped hydraulic system in a box, which provides environmentally friendly energy storage up to the GWh scale. The mechanism is based on hydroelectric dam technology, which for over a century has proven to be highly reliable and efficient.

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To store energy, the battery system pumps water from rigid reservoirs into flexible pockets at the bottom of the sea. After that, the energy is stored as potential energy in the form of water under high pressure. When there is a demand for energy, water flows back from the flexible bags into the low-pressure rigid reservoirs, driving various hydroelectric turbines to generate electricity.

battery storage capacity

One of the main challenges facing the use of renewable energies is that they need to be supported by reserve systems that guarantee that they remain active even when there is no sun or wind.

The ocean battery provides utility-scale energy storage at source and can be deployed in existing and new offshore wind farms. In this way, it is possible to reduce local load peaks on the network and optimally match supply and demand.

By applying proven hydroelectric dam technology, the Dutch company Ocean Grazer guarantees a long service life of decades and a high storage efficiency of up to 80%. “This makes our technology reliable and affordable,” states the company's website.

eco-friendly battery

The “Ocean Battery” technology is sustainable and ecologically correct, so it does not require rare earth materials and uses clean water as an energy carrier. The structure was designed to enhance marine life.

Importance of renewable energies

Renewable energy production is crucial for a climate-neutral economy. This energy transition requires a significant change in the energy system. For this, more and more solar and wind turbine parks are being realized onshore and offshore to contribute to a sustainable society.

To grow into a system where renewable energy is the norm, the biggest hurdle must be solved: energy storage. With that in mind, Ocean Grazer is tapping into this huge renewable energy potential by introducing the Ocean Battery.