Energy Vault & SOM partner to revolutionise building design with integrated gravity energy storage, accelerating carbon payback and sustainable urban development.
Energy Vault Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: NRGV) and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) have announced an exclusive global partnership that promises to reshape the landscape of sustainable architecture and energy storage.
This collaboration aims to integrate cutting-edge gravity energy storage systems (GESS) into building designs, potentially revolutionising the way we approach energy efficiency in urban environments.
A Meeting of Innovators
Energy Vault, the sustainable energy storage solutions company, has partnered with SOM, the firm behind the Burj Khalifa and One World Trade Center. This pairing brings Energy Vault’s gravity energy storage technology with SOM’s engineering and design expertise.
Robert Piconi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Energy Vault, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “Our strategic partnership with SOM opens a new multi-billion-dollar market segment for Energy Vault focused on the future of sustainability in new building design and energy efficiency.”
The alliance is spearheaded by SOM Partners Adam Semel and Scott Duncan, alongside Structural Engineer Bill Baker, renowned for his innovative approach to complex structural challenges.
Semel emphasised the partnership’s potential, saying, “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.”
The G-VAULT™ Family: Redefining Energy Storage
At the heart of this partnership lies Energy Vault’s G-VAULT™ family of sustainable solutions.
These systems combine proven energy storage principles with modern engineering and an AI-enabled software orchestration platform. The result is a flexible, low cost infrastructure asset for power delivery without energy storage medium degradation.
The G-VAULT product suite has expanded beyond the original EVx™ platform to include several new designs:
EVu: The Skyscraper of Energy Storage
The EVu represents a significant leap forward in integrating energy storage into urban architecture.
This superstructure tower design, reaching heights of over 300 metres and potentially up to 1,000 metres, can house multi-GWh of gravity-based energy storage. The innovative hollow structure not only powers the building itself but can also meet the energy needs of adjacent buildings.
One of the most groundbreaking aspects of the EVu design is its potential to achieve carbon payback within an unprecedented 3-4 years. This accelerated timeline marks a significant milestone in sustainable building design and operation.
EVc: Reinventing Pumped Hydro Storage
The EVc introduces a modular water-based system that enables the deployment of large-scale pumped hydro energy storage within tall building structures.
This cylindrical design is optimised to withstand environmental factors such as wind and seismic events, making it a versatile solution for various urban settings.
EVy: Harnessing Natural Topography
By applying Energy Vault’s core gravity technology to existing slopes and topography, EVy offers energy storage with minimal environmental impact.
This approach reduces the need for man-made structures, potentially achieving ultra-low-cost capital expenditures by eliminating the construction of fixed-frame structures.
EV0: The Future of Pumped Hydro
The EV0 system retains all the technical and economic benefits of traditional pumped hydro storage whilst eliminating the negative consequences associated with concrete production and disruption to existing wildlife ecosystems.
This “modular pumped hydro” system utilises a unique, low-cost fabric vessel called the “Water Tree” to store water in pre-manufactured modules, allowing for rapid deployment.
A Global Impact
Energy Vault’s growing portfolio of GESS deployments has already made significant inroads into global markets. In 2023, the company announced the commissioning of the world’s first EVx™ gravity storage system in China, the largest energy storage market globally. Additional projects totalling 3.7 GWh have been announced in China through license and royalty agreements.
The company has also expanded its reach into the African market, signing a new license and royalty agreement for its gravity technology portfolio with grid partners in South Africa.
This 10-year agreement is expected to result in multi-GWh of long-duration Energy Vault GESS deployments across the 16-country Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
SOM’s Commitment to Sustainability
For SOM, this partnership represents an extension of its longstanding commitment to innovation in sustainability.
The firm has been at the forefront of developing sustainable building practices, from researching new materials to industry leadership as a carbon-neutral company.
Recent examples of SOM’s dedication to sustainability include:
- The carbon-absorbing Urban Sequoia project, presented at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP)
- Development of a bio-based, carbon-neutral alternative to concrete in partnership with Prometheus Materials
- A new standalone service assessing whole-life carbon emissions for buildings and portfolios
The Future of Sustainable Architecture
The partnership between Energy Vault and SOM represents a significant step forward in the integration of renewable energy technologies into architectural design.
By combining Energy Vault’s innovative gravity energy storage systems with SOM’s expertise in structural engineering and design, this collaboration has the potential to transform the way we think about energy efficiency in urban environments.
As cities around the world grapple with the challenges of climate change and the need for sustainable development, solutions like those proposed by Energy Vault and SOM offer a glimpse into a future where buildings not only consume energy more efficiently but also actively contribute to energy production and storage.
The success of this partnership could pave the way for a new generation of buildings that are not just aesthetically pleasing and functionally efficient but also serve as critical components of a more sustainable and resilient urban energy infrastructure.
Conclusion
The collaboration between Energy Vault and SOM marks a significant milestone in the quest for sustainable urban development. By combining innovative energy storage technology with world-class architectural design, this partnership has the potential to revolutionise the way we approach energy efficiency in buildings.
As the world continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change and the need for renewable energy solutions, partnerships like this one offer hope for a more sustainable future.
The integration of gravity energy storage systems into building design not only promises to reduce carbon emissions but also to create a new paradigm for urban energy management.
With projects already underway in China and Africa, and the potential for global expansion, the impact of this partnership could be felt in cities around the world. As we look to the future, the work of Energy Vault and SOM may well come to define the next generation of sustainable urban architecture.
