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US 2021/0197948 A1Published application
High altitude gravity energy storage
AssigneeStratosolar, Inc.
InventorsEDMUND J. KELLY, ROGER ARNOLD
Life of this patent
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AssigneeStratosolar, Inc.
InventorsEDMUND J. KELLY, ROGER ARNOLD
Estimating the term…
The present invention is realized by apparatus and methods for harvesting, storing, and generating energy by permanently placing a large rigid buoyant platform high in the earth's atmosphere, above clouds, moisture, dust, and wind. Long, strong and light tethers can connect the buoyant structure to the ground which can hold it in position against wind forces. Weights suspended from the buoyant platform with cables are raised and lowered by electric winches to store and release gravitational potential energy. High voltage transmission lines electrically connect the platform to the earth's surface. Electrical energy from the high voltage transmission lines or from photovoltaic arrays on the platform can be stored as gravitational potential energy and subsequently released as electricity from generators driven from the stored gravitational potential energy and used on the platform or transmitted via the high voltage transmission lines.
A permanent buoyant platform having a rigid framework and a tether tethering said platform to the ground, said rigid framework comprising a gas bag comprising a buoyancy gas making said platform buoyant, said permanent buoyant tethered rigid platform supporting a mass in the low stratosphere.
A permanent buoyant platform having a rigid framework and a tether tethering said platform to the ground, said rigid framework comprising a gas bag comprising a buoyancy gas making said platform buoyant, said permanent buoyant tethered rigid platform supporting a mass in the low stratosphere, wherein said permanent buoyant platform comprises a design life greater than one decade.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.