[brittohalloran]

Similar to those gravity power modules: a company called Ares (https://www.aresnorthamerica.com/) is trying to use much smaller concrete 'cars' on rails to store energy. Not sure of the status of it but it looked promising to me.

The direct use of compressed air is interesting. Taking it to the extreme, you could have compressed air as your primary utility piped through your home, and have appliances that run off compressed air. Refrigeration cycle is compression based anyway for example. You would still need some electricity for control circuits for example, but you might be able to keep the heavy lifting air-based.

[sandworm101]

In the midwest, running compressed air through a home is called amish electricity. They do use it for many things. Ive seen air-powered blenders. (Air power is a big thing for woodworking and so its use in the home too is no suprise.)

[newman8r]

I had no idea these existed, I want these when I move back off-grid. https://www.cottagecraftworks.com/kitchen-food-prep/non-elec...

[sandworm101]

It is functional but has many issues. Water/condensation in the lines is a big deal in winter. Running pipes in walls makes leak detection difficult. They are all also very very loud.

[newman8r]

I looked at the Ares 'team page' and I personally know the CEO of that company, but I didn't know he was working with that company. super random.

Your refrigeration example is interesting - now I'm curious if there's any refrigerators on the market that can power the compressor via compressed air intake (so it would still use closed-loop refrigerant, but the compressor would use air instead of electricity)

[VikingCoder]

Nah, there's water-based computers, there could be compressed air computers.

Picturing the different logic gates running on compressed air is a hoot.

[mikeash]

You should check out Ted Chiang’s story “Exhalation.”

[VikingCoder]

This seems to be a legal copy of it?

http://www.nightshadebooks.com/Downloads/Exhalation%20-%20Te...

[mikeash]

That’s the one. I have no special insight into the legality, but it looks legitimate to me.

[skykooler]

I assume you'd still need electricity for things like lighting, right? (I can't think of a way to directly generate light from air pressure without converting it to electricity first.)

[solarkraft]

Generate heat through friction ... okay, that's crazy. But fire would work (& could be controlled through air flow).