Energy Vault has announced the expansion of its gravity-based energy storage portfolio with G-VAULT™, an engineered family of gravity energy storage systems (GESS) designed to deliver long-duration, high-efficiency storage for utility-scale renewable power integration. The new systems apply advanced mechanical lifting architectures, high-precision power electronics, and intelligent energy-management software to provide a technically robust alternative to conventional electrochemical storage.

High-Efficiency Gravity Storage Architecture

G-VAULT features a mechanical potential-energy cycle, where renewable electricity powers high-efficiency motors to elevate heavy composite blocks (or water, depending on system topology) within a vertical storage structure. During discharge, controlled lowering of these masses drives generator-motor systems to convert potential energy back to electrical energy.

This architecture enables:

• Round-trip efficiency exceeding 80%, supported by optimized drive trains and advanced control algorithms.
• Independent scaling of power and energy, as lifting speed determines power output while system height and mass determine storage duration.
• Zero degradation of storage media, ensuring constant usable capacity over multi-decade service life.

Because the storage medium is inert mechanical mass, performance remains stable across tens of thousands of cycles, eliminating the degradation and thermal-runaway risks associated with chemical batteries.

G-VAULT systems are engineered for 4–24+ hours of storage, supporting firming of solar and wind generation, peak-shaving, load-shifting, and frequency regulation. The platform’s multi-MW to multi-GWh capabilities enable deployment in transmission, distribution, and hybrid-renewable applications where conventional batteries or pumped hydro are limited.

Energy Vault’s block-based storage structures can be built using locally sourced reclaimed materials, including recycled concrete, mine tailings, and decommissioned wind-turbine components, supporting circular-economy initiatives and reducing lifecycle emissions.

The G-VAULT™ Family: Variants for Different Needs

To address different storage scenarios and site constraints, Energy Vault has developed several variants under the G-VAULT™ umbrella:

• EVx™: The original gravity energy storage system, modular and scalable to multi-GW-hour capacity, proven in field deployments.
• EVu™: Designed as a superstructure tower (300 m to 1,000 m tall), enabling gravity storage integration into high-rise buildings. Ideal for urban environments, potentially powering not just one facility, but entire building clusters.
• EVc™: A modular, water-based pumped-hydro-style gravity storage system, suitable where block-based storage isn’t optimal; can be standalone or integrated into tower structures.
• EVy™: Leverages natural topography (slopes, hills) to implement gravity storage with minimal new construction, making it a lower-cost, low-impact option. 
• EV0™: A “modular pumped-hydro” variant using water vessels instead of fixed reservoirs, designed to provide the benefits of hydro storage without environmental disruption or concrete-intensive construction.

Integrated Energy-Management and Grid Interface

The G-VAULT portfolio is supported by Energy Vault’s proprietary EMS platform, enabling:

• Real-time grid dispatch, forecasting, and analytics
• Optimized charge/discharge cycles for renewable balancing
• Seamless integration with hybrid assets, including PV, wind, and grid-tied battery systems

This software stack allows G-VAULT installations to function as fully controllable, dispatchable grid assets.

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About Energy Vault

Energy Vault is a global energy-storage technology company specializing in gravity storage, battery systems, and hydrogen-based solutions for utility and industrial customers. Headquartered in Switzerland, the company focuses on long-duration, sustainable, and economically optimized storage technologies supported by advanced control software. Energy Vault's portfolio is designed to enhance grid reliability, accelerate renewable adoption, and deliver multi-decade operational performance.