Energy Vault unveils design partnership for gravity storage in skyscrapers

Energy Vault has announced a strategic partnership with Chicago-based architecture and engineering firm SOM to integrate its gravity energy storage solutions into future building design.

Under the terms of the agreement, SOM will be the exclusive architect and structural engineer for new Energy Vault gravity energy storage systems (GESS), incorporating the technology into tall buildings in urban environments and deployable structures in natural environments.

The two parties began working together within the last twelve months, including collaboration on four new Energy Vault GESS solutions. The solutions include EVu, a superstructure tower design which enables GESS integration in tall buildings through a hollow structure over 300 meters and up to 1,000 meters high. The design promises multi-GWh gravity-based energy storage that can power both the building itself and nearby structures, with a carbon payback within three to four years.

Energy Vault’s other new solutions include EVc, a cylindrical shaped solution for large scale pumped hydro energy storage within tall buildings using a modular water-based system, EVy, which is designed for pre-existing slopes and topography and EV0, which is designed to utilize the benefits of traditional pumped hydro storage without concrete production and environmental disruption.

Robert Piconi, Energy Vault’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, says the partnership opens a new multi-billion dollar market segment focused on the future of sustainability in new building design and energy efficiency.

SOM is responsible for designing some of the world’s tallest and most well-known buildings, including Burj Khalifa, Tianjin CTF Finance Centre and Chiago’s Willis Tower. “This partnership with Energy Vault is a commitment not only to accelerate the world’s transition away from fossil fuels, but also to explore, together, how the architecture of renewable energy can enhance our shared natural landscapes and urban environments,” said Adam Semel, SOM Partner.