Thermal Batteries: The Exciting Addition to 2024's List of Breakthrough Technologies

Thursday - April 18 2024, 00:44 UTC - 7 months ago

Thermal batteries have been selected as the reader's choice addition to MIT Technology Review's 2024 list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies. These batteries use electricity to produce and store heat for later use, making them a valuable solution for storing cheap but intermittent renewable energy. Rondo Energy, Electrified Thermal Solutions, Antora Energy, and Malta are some of the companies working on creating and deploying thermal batteries. These batteries have potential applications in both industrial and grid-based energy storage solutions.

Thermal batteries have officially been selected as the reader's choice addition to MIT Technology Review's 2024 list of 10 Breakthrough Technologies. This news comes as no surprise as the field of thermal energy storage has been gaining significant traction in recent years. Despite being invented nearly 200 years ago, advancements in technology and the changing grid have brought thermal batteries to the forefront of renewable energy solutions.

Renewable energy sources such as wind and solar have seen a significant decline in prices over the past decade. However, these power sources are still inconsistent, with daily and seasonal patterns affecting their output. As a result, there has been a push to find ways to store this cheap but intermittent renewable electricity for applications that require a consistent power source. This is where thermal energy storage comes into play.

Thermal energy storage systems function similarly to traditional batteries, except they use electricity to produce and store heat instead of electricity. This stored heat can then be used to generate steam or assist with heating in various industries. One company working to produce and deploy thermal batteries is Rondo Energy. Their heat storage system relies on a resistance heater and carefully engineered stacks of bricks to store heat for later use. Rondo Energy is currently running their first commercial pilot at an ethanol plant in California, with plans to expand their manufacturing operations in Thailand.

However, Rondo is just one of many players in the thermal battery space. Other companies are exploring unique materials and methods for thermal energy storage, including using molten salt, metal, and even crushed rocks. Electrified Thermal Solutions and Antora Energy are two such companies, utilizing thermally conductive bricks and carbon-based blocks, respectively.

While many companies are targeting industrial applications for their thermal storage solutions, others are looking to offer grid-based energy storage options to utilities. Malta, a company spun out of X (formerly Google X), is developing technology that takes in electricity and stores it in tanks of molten salt. This energy is then converted back into electricity when needed, providing grid flexibility and stability.

The potential for thermal batteries is vast, with applications in both industrial and grid-based energy storage. As renewable energy sources continue to become cheaper and more prevalent, the demand for reliable and cost-effective storage solutions like thermal batteries will only continue to grow.