Euronews.green reports that during ideal conditions, wind turbines and solar panels generate more power than we can use, meaning that unless stored, that excess energy goes to waste. Researchers at International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis suggest that abandoned mines could provide the answer we're looking for.

Last year, we wrote about the potential of gravitational batteries, which work by lowering weights via winches, which generates electricity.

Back to abandoned mines, researchers believe that those could provide us with as much as 70 TWh of power in the form of gravitational batteries.

Behnam Zakeri, study coauthor and a researcher at IIASA, said that "to decarbonize the economy, we need to rethink the energy system based on innovative solutions using existing resource."

"Turning abandoned mines into energy storage is one example of many solutions that exist around us, and we only need to change the way we deploy them", he added.

Since gravity batteries need about 300 meters of heigh to work properly, mine shafts are ideal for such applications.

This would also create some jobs for local communities, which means that gravitational battery projects would also help the economy.

"Mines already have the basic infrastructure and are connected to the power grid, which significantly reduces the cost and facilitates the implementation of Underground Gravity Energy Storage plants", said Julian Hunt, a researcher in the IIASA.