Discover 8 industry cases
Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technologies are emerging as a game-changing solution to decarbonize heat and balance energy supply & demand in intermittent conditions. Join us as we explore how these technologies are ready to scale, drive cost savings, and make net-zero production achievable.
This article is co-authored with Giuseppe Casubolo - Director at Vola Alto Consulting
Crushed rock thermal energy storage
Sensible heat storage using crushed rock is a cost-effective solution for high-temperature heat storage. This system supports large-scale energy storage of 10–100+ GWh at an incremental cost of $2–4/kWh, suitable for producing steam for electricity, hot water, or industrial hot air. Brenmiller's bGen system offers low maintenance, a lifespan exceeding 30 years, and a competitive levelized cost of heat (LCOH) ranging from $30–50/MWh when charged with affordable renewable energy, making it cheaper than gas in many parts of Europe.
Molten salt thermal energy storage
John Cockerill
The power sector has already adopted TES on a commercial scale with Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) Plants. A CSP plant can indeed store energy in the form of heat using molten salts: a low-cost, flame-proof, and non-polluting fluid made of sodium nitrate and potassium nitrate. In 2020, a molten salt storage capacity of over 21 GWh was installed worldwide. Since an additional 14 GWh came online. Electrical heater systems are also currently considered, allowing electricity (usually from renewable sources such as photovoltaics) to directly heat to the molten salts ("Power to X" technology). In the future, high-efficiency TES technologies such as next-generation molten salt, solid particles and supercritical CO2 cycles will gain a foothold.
Fluidized sand bed technology
MGTES (Magaldi Green Thermal Energy Storage) is an innovative and patented electro-thermal energy storage system based on a fluidized sand bed. The system stores clean energy, either from renewable sources or directly from the grid during off-peak hours, and releases it as high-temperature thermal energy, such as superheated steam, for industrial applications. MGTES operates in three phases: charging (heating the sand via electrical heaters or high-temperature fluids), storage (retaining energy for extended periods with minimal loss by deactivating fluidization), and discharge (delivering thermal energy to industrial processes). With a modular design offering storage capacities from 5 MWh to 100 MWh, MGTES provides flexibility to meet diverse industrial needs, addressing renewable energy intermittency and advancing decarbonization in industries such as food and beverage, pulp and paper, chemical production, and desalination.
Concentrated solar thermal and decarbonization of industrial heat with thermal energy storage
ENERGYNEST's ThermalBattery™ solutions capture, store, and repurpose power, heat, or steam as clean energy, enabling flexibility, cost reduction, and decarbonization for sectors like chemicals, food and beverages, and pulp and paper. With high thermal efficiency (>95%), robust design, and plug-and-play installation, the ThermalBattery™ supports applications such as 24/7 green steam supply and waste heat recovery. Projects like those with Avery Dennison in Belgium and YARA International in Norway showcase its potential.
Thermalpod heat battery: flexible electrification of industrial heat
Brabetech
Molten salt is a highly efficient heat transfer medium for high-temperature applications, and Brabetech has developed an innovative ternary molten salt with enhanced properties. This new molten salt features a lower melting point, reduced corrosiveness, high thermal conductivity, and long lifespan while being biologically degradable, making it suitable for smaller-scale industrial heat transfer and storage. With an operating range of 150-500°C, it is durable for up to 25 years and supports reduced CO2 emissions by enabling renewable energy usage. Brabetech's ThermalPod® heat battery, capable of providing flexible electric process heat up to 400°C, optimizes charging times based on energy prices, allowing users to save costs, reduce emissions, and trade energy for additional revenue. Scalable and integrable with local renewable energy sources like solar panels, the ThermalPod® offers operational flexibility and financial benefits.
High-temperature underground thermal energy storage
PUSH-IT, Energyville
The PUSH-IT project stands for Piloting Underground Seasonal Heat Storage in Geothermal Reservoirs. Its ambition is to overcome the seasonal mismatch between heat demand and heat generation from sustainable sources using underground heat storage. The EU-funded project focuses on three innovative technologies for high-temperature heat storage, —Aquifer, Borehole, and Mine Thermal Energy Storage (ATES, BTES, and MTES)—at six European sites, as well as enabling technologies, societal engagement, and governance policies and business models. PUSH-IT focuses on extending storage temperature ranges to high temperatures, up to 90 °C.
Packed-bed thermal energy storage
Energyville
Packed-bed thermal energy storage (TES) systems, utilizing sand in insulated pits, have demonstrated high efficiency for seasonal solar thermal energy storage, achieving energy savings of 64% to 91% depending on the storage size. These systems have proven effective in both residential and district heating applications, even in freezing climates. Sand's high thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity make it an ideal medium, with a heat transfer fluid circulating through the sand to store heat during low-demand periods (e.g., summer) and release it during high-demand periods (e.g., winter). Experimental facilities in Finland have successfully used packed-bed sand TES for district heating since 2020, further validating its efficiency, including providing 65–75% of domestic hot water needs in daily storage systems.
High-temperature pump design for molten medium energy storage applicationsSulzer's molten salt circulation pumps are engineered to handle extremely high-temperature molten salt, a key heat transfer fluid in concentrated solar power (CSP) systems. These vertical line shaft pumps are used in heliostat central towers and parabolic troughs for applications such as heating molten salt in solar receivers, feeding steam generators, storing thermal energy, and extending CSP plant operations beyond sunset. Featuring capacities up to 4,000 m³/h, heads up to 350 m, and temperatures up to 600°C, the VEY and VNY pumps deliver high efficiency, durability, and reliability. In heliostat systems, molten salt enables the generation of high-rate superheated steam, while parabolic troughs utilize molten salt for heat storage to extend operating hours. Sulzer also supports hybrid solar-fossil configurations and cost-efficient linear Fresnel reflector technologies, providing advanced solutions for optimizing solar energy integration. Their experienced service engineers ensure peak equipment reliability and performance. | 
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