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Episode 12
Mark Swinnerton
Episode 12
Green Gravitational Storage with Mark Swinnerton
Whilst working as Vice President of Market Analysis for BHP, Mark realised it was really difficult to see how net zero climate scenarios were going to happen, but that these solutions were necessary to limit climate impacts. This shifted him onto a new path of thinking of “what more could be done, what do people need to stand up and find out and make happen over the coming years”.
Mark left BHP keen to activate something big to prove we can have our low-carbon solutions and our economy at the same time. Green Gravity will be instrumental in providing an opportunity for the next economic life of the very many disused mine shafts across the globe.
The sustainable solution will revive these vertical shafts and take advantage of their height to raise weighted steel objects with renewable energy, store these weights at the surface, and then use gravity to spin a turbine as these are lowered back down the shaft to generate electricity, to be directed straight into the grid when it is needed.
The Green Gravity team and its partners are working from flexible locations around the world, based at the Innovation Campus in Wollongong, helping industry gravitate towards a clean energy future.
We need to be able to add a lot more storage both in Australia and globally. We need those new solutions and that’s where gravitational energy comes into its own, and where it can start to have a huge impact where it actually improves the economics of the transition to renewable energy faster. Mark Swinnerton, CEO, Green Gravity.
Platinum Season and Gold Episode Sponsor
Thanks to SOTO Engineering our Platinum Podcast Season 2 Sponsor. Changing the game, one industry at a time.
Your Next Salty Steps
Draw some inspiration from our actionable takeaways.
- Do you work in decarbonisation of mining, mine planning, mine closure planning, or mine rehabilitation? You could be a part of gravitating us toward a clean energy future, reach out to the Green Gravity Team.
- Are you passionate about investing your money in technology that is taking climate action now, and tangible solutions to provide clean and affordable renewable energy storage? Green Gravity is partnering now, read why GHD is getting behind the gravitational pursuit for clean energy storage.
Resources & Links
We’ve gathered together some useful resources and links related to Episode 12.
Green Gravity, Website
Green Gravity, LinkedIn
Mark Swinnerton, LinkedIn
Green Gravity’s ingenious energy storage solution, Australian Financial Review
Can abandoned mine shafts solve the renewable energy conundrum? Illawarra Mercury
Australian Technologies Competition 2022, Winner of Mining and Resources Category
National Energy Resources Australia, LETs Pitch Australia 2023, Winner
Imagery thanks to:
Green Gravity
Mariana Zurak, Relativity
Mario Schildermans from Pixabay
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