How Edison uses water to store excess power
This is a good one, how do you store excess energy for use when needed? I think their biggest flaw is they are using an open source to provide the water, which is subject to drought and evaporation. Something with a large cavern that is closed would seem much more efficient, and if it is a closed system, it should not have any losses that amount to much, thus being available in all situations. But this is a Galt like opportunity for some genius, they are exchanging electric for mechanical and back, the storage is based on the energy needed to pump back up. Something like a cascade with centrifugal pumps with a final stage lifting back might be better....Hnm..needs some math here..
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For solar and wind generation, the problem of 24 hour cycles or random wind would be much reduced with storage of that type..
It could be that the research funds (government money) go to the best propagandists who are always on the verge of a breakthru, rather than the more prosaic searching for suitable geological sites.
Or, it could be that these so-called renewable sources are not close to being economic even if cheap storage worked.
Worth a mention here - George Soros has just made a very big investment in US coal mines. !