Quote Originally Posted by foxtrot View Post
If someone wanted to go off grid with some creativity... a storage system that works more efficiently than batteries (and with better longevity) is pumps + gravity. Pump water somewhere higher, have a generator on the output. Some high end power systems use this technique, never heard of it in residential but someone should be the guinea pig if they have the right circumstances. Some have done it with air too but it has serious complications with temperature differentials. Basically your "battery" capacity is your water storage potential, and it doesn't fade.... power stored in July would be available in December without any degradation.

Most of you suburbia's can already cross this off the map though, I don't see this working in a neighborhood.
It's a shame that this country has become so turned off to hydro-electric generation (We must stop it...for the fish.) In Europe, this method is used with wind power. When the wind is blowing, use the electricity generated to pump water up into a reservoir where it is stored until it's actually needed. Wind is inconsistent where hydro has that potential energy stored until it's needed. The scale needed for this is much larger than at the residential level.