The main objective of the GrEnMine project is to develop novel gravitational energy storage systems located in former mining areas and waste dump sites. These systems move heavy blocks or bulk granular materials between different elevations to store and release energy.
To validate this gravitational storage technology, the project will include detailed mathematical modelling, physical testing with small-scale demonstrators, and creating a comprehensive tool for assessing the suitability of open-pit mining sites for gravity-based energy storage.
GrEnMine responds to the growing challenge of energy storage within the context of the global energy transition, where increasingly unstable renewable sources such as solar and wind dominate. Unlike conventional pumped hydro storage, which accounts for 98% of global storage capacity but faces significant geographic and economic constraints, GrEnMine offers a flexible, low-impact solution.
The project directly supports a just transition for former coal regions by repurposing degraded post-mining landscapes into assets for clean energy infrastructure. It is aligned with the research priorities of the Research Fund for Coal & Steel (RFCS). Introducing innovative, practical applications of gravitational energy storage technologies contributes to the objective of „Supporting the just transition of the coal sector and regions.”
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The project is carried out by an international scientific and industrial consortium composed of:
- Wrocław University of Science and Technology ,
- AGH University of Krakow ,
- Societatea Complexul Energetic Oltenia S.A. ,
- POLTEGOR Institute of Open Cast Mining ,
- Technical University of Crete ,
- University of Petroșani ,
- VUHU a.s. ,
- Four Point Sp. z o.o. ,
- PGE Górnictwo i Energetyka Konwencjonalna S.A.,
- Achlada Mines – LTGNTTORYCHETA Achladas A.E.