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Other forms of Energy Storage
Mainsprings aren't the only devices that can serve as energy
stores. There are many different forms of energy storage. For
example, batteries use chemical processes to store energy.
Coal and crude oil, known as fossil fuels, are also energy stores,
because they essentially consist of plants and other organisms
that stored solar energy millions of years ago.
Your body's power plant is also dependent on solar energy. This is
because we feed on plants or animals, which in turn live on plants,
and plants can only grow if they "soak up" sunlight. So our food is
actually also an energy store for solar energy.
Pumped storage power plants are also
interesting energy stores. In these power
plants, energy is used to pump water up a
mountain. This is done at night, for
example, when households use less
electricity and it is less expensive.
When the energy is needed again
during the day, the water flows down
the mountain and drives turbines
that produce electricity.
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