The future of renewable energy may be a train with a bunch of rocks packed in on it. No, really: Advanced Rail Energy has a plan to use the rails as a better way to store energy when it's not needed.

It works sort of like the pumped hydro-storage method, where water is stored above and moved below when energy is needed. In this case, excess energy produced by the grid (hopefully from other renewables) pulls the train cars up a hill. When energy is needed, it falls back down the hill, sort of like a less destructive dam. It captures the energy through regenerative braking.

Advanced Rail Energy Storage has already built a test model, and is launching a full-scale project in Nevada next year that will provide 44.2 megawatts of storage potential, without the need for bulky, potentially toxic batteries. Most of the technology was already there, meaning it can be built with parts already mass-produced by the rail industry.

Yes, the home of the future may get some of its energy from a falling train. We just hope this guy doesn't find out.

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Source: Motherboard

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