Energy-accumulation apparatus

An energy-accumulation apparatus, comprising:

• a pneumatic-generation source being positioned on a shore, and the pneumatic-generation source being configured to receive electricity and to generate pneumatic air pressure by electricity usage;
• and
• an electric generator being positioned on the shore, and the electric generator being configured to receive the pneumatic air pressure and to generate electricity by pneumatic air pressure usage;
• and
• a variable-buoyancy assembly being configured to be selectively buoyant in a body of water;
• and
• a delivery assembly being coupled to the variable-buoyancy assembly, and the delivery assembly being configured to deliver the variable-buoyancy assembly within the body of water between a first position and a second position;
• and
• an air-supply assembly being pneumatically connected to the variable-buoyancy assembly, and
• a switch assembly being pneumatically connected to the air-supply assembly, and the air-supply assembly being selectively pneumatically connectable to the electric generator and to the pneumatic-generation source depending on the state of the switch assembly, and the switch assembly being configured to selectively pneumatically connect the pneumatic-generation source to the variable-buoyancy assembly in such a way that the variable-buoyancy assembly receives pneumatic air pressure from the pneumatic-generation source, and the switch assembly being configured to selectively pneumatically connect the variable-buoyancy assembly to the electric generator in such a way that the electric generator generates electricity by using pneumatic air pressure as an input source from the variable-buoyancy assembly;
• and
• the variable-buoyancy assembly being configured to be disposed at an underwater depth within the body of water, and the variable-buoyancy assembly being configured to receive, store, and discharge compressed air, under pneumatic air pressure, and the variable-buoyancy assembly being configured to be subjected to an ambient hydrostatic pressure when disposed underwater, and the ambient hydrostatic pressure being provided by the water column above and surrounding the variable-buoyancy assembly so that when stored air is discharged from the variable-buoyancy assembly, the discharge pressure is governed by the ambient hydrostatic pressure;
• and
• in the first position, the variable-buoyancy assembly being positioned proximate to a water surface of the body of water, and the variable-buoyancy assembly being serviceable and being in a non-operational mode, and the variable-buoyancy assembly being in an unpressurized deflated condition, and the variable-buoyancy assembly being non-operational so that maintenance is performable on the variable-buoyancy assembly;
• and
• in the second position, the variable-buoyancy assembly being positioned and fixedly fastened proximate to the floor beneath the body of water, and the variable-buoyancy assembly being on-line and being in an operational mode, and the variable-buoyancy assembly being changeable between the unpressurized deflated condition and a pressurized inflated condition in which the variable-buoyancy assembly is inflated;
• and
• in the second position, the variable-buoyancy assembly being operable to:
• receive pneumatically pressurized air from the pneumatic-generation source via the switch assembly, and
• store the pneumatically pressurized air that was received from the switch assembly, and
• discharge the pneumatically pressurized air that was stored in the variable-buoyancy assembly to the electric generator via the switch assembly in such a way that the electric generator generates electricity by using the pneumatically pressurized air received from the variable-buoyancy assembly via the switch assembly.