Energy storage specialist Gravitricity aims to make its US debut after linking up with a major American construction group.
The Edinburgh firm is to partner with IEA Infrastructure Construction as the US Government provides US$450m in funding for energy projects at former mines.
Gravitricity has signed an agreement with the Illinois-based construction firm to seek funds jointly for renewable energy schemes, including those at disused mines.
Gravitricity is an energy storage company which is developing below ground gravity energy storage systems in the UK and mainland Europe.
They are already advancing proposals for a mine project in the Czech Republic, where they plan to store energy by lowering and raising a single massive weight suspended in the former Darkov mine.
The storage specialists have already demonstrated a scale version of their technology in Edinburgh – built in partnership with Dutch winch specialists Huisman – and now plan to build full-scale schemes in the UK and worldwide. Future systems could have a capacity of 25MWh or more.
Up to five clean energy projects will be funded at current and former US mines, with demonstration projects expected to “… provide knowledge and experience that catalyse the next generation of clean energy on mine land projects,” the US Energy Department said.
The White House also said it will allow developers of clean energy projects to take advantage of billions of dollars in new bonuses being offered in addition to investment and production tax credits available through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
Applications are due by the end of August, with grant decisions expected by early next year.