A New Depth in Energy Storage
At Joule, we asked a simple question: What if the ocean itself could store clean energy?
Our patented Modulated Buoyancy Energy Storage (MBES) system does exactly that — using pressure and buoyancy instead of batteries or reservoirs.
Each MBES unit operates in a closed vertical loop below the ocean's surface. When charging, air is compressed to reduce buoyancy, sinking the unit and storing potential energy. When energy is needed, air is released, allowing the unit to rise and drive a generator — converting buoyancy into electricity.
Compressed air is used to neutralize the MBU's buoyancy, causing it to sink and storing potential energy. Excess renewable energy powers this compression process.
Air is reintroduced, restoring buoyancy and allowing the unit to rise. This ascent generates mechanical energy that drives our generators.
The rising motion drives a generator that feeds clean electricity back into the grid — dispatchable power exactly when it's needed most.
Global renewable generation is growing faster than our ability to store it. Without storage, energy is wasted through curtailment, especially in wind and solar projects.
Ocean-based systems like MBES offer:
The ocean provides virtually unlimited deployment potential with minimal geographical constraints.
No land use, no freshwater consumption, no hazardous materials — truly clean technology.
Strong alignment with national security and grid resilience goals — reducing reliance on foreign supply chains.
A fraction of the cost and footprint of traditional battery and pumped hydro systems.
It's elegant physics made practical: a scalable, cost-efficient, and environmentally neutral solution to the world's growing need for large-scale renewable energy storage.