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I'm fairly certain elevators are indeed regenerative. Their braking system is all electric. They typically have 2 rails with 2 large electric motors hooked to lines that run to a slider conduit. Another version I've seen in some New York high speed lifts were using the counterweight with high powered magnets attached and dragged it up through a column of copper wires. It avoids any extra frictional devices(motors).
Of course you still lose some because the wires get hot and travel a long way to the top of the system again. . .
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