> How about to retrofit wind turbines? They are tall, strong, and empty inside.
It's still basically piss-stakes: the largest wind turbine right now (14MWe Haliade-X) has 765t sitting on top of a 150m tower, so let's say you keep the 150m tower, rejigger it so it can move a 765t weight up and down the shaft without crumpling, and add your weight (a lead weight 4m in diameter and 5.4m tall), how much energy does that store?
250kWh, 2.5 teslas, or a medium-large electric bus battery.
And it's not like you can add that to a working turbine: the tower was set up for 765t not 1500, and you need space for the crane.
It's still basically piss-stakes: the largest wind turbine right now (14MWe Haliade-X) has 765t sitting on top of a 150m tower, so let's say you keep the 150m tower, rejigger it so it can move a 765t weight up and down the shaft without crumpling, and add your weight (a lead weight 4m in diameter and 5.4m tall), how much energy does that store?
250kWh, 2.5 teslas, or a medium-large electric bus battery.
And it's not like you can add that to a working turbine: the tower was set up for 765t not 1500, and you need space for the crane.