Industrial by-products as thermal energy storage materials (Lämpöakku)

The industrial and mining sectors require useful applications for by-products. In the Thermal Battery project, for the first time, sector integration of energy and circular economy is enabled by developing the utilization of industrial inorganic by-products as materials for thermal batteries. The project investigates, through modeling, the suitability of various thermal battery concepts as part of an integrated energy system at the system level, as well as the suitability of thermal batteries on a smaller scale as a source of thermal energy for individual heated objects.

Electricity storage is emerging as one of the most crucial and challenging issues in the green transition. Balancing the intermittent fluctuations in sustainable wind and solar power production requires the construction of significant storage capacity.

The objective of the Thermal Battery project is to develop efficient, cost-effective, easily replicable, and scalable storage technology for sustainable electricity storage. Electricity is stored as high-temperature (> 500 °C) thermal energy in a thermal battery based on the use of circular economy materials.

The thermal battery enables the replacement of heat production processes generating CO2 emissions with sustainably produced heat from electricity in various applications of different scales, such as industrial steam production, greenhouse heating, or district heating in residential areas.

The project will generate new expertise in material and thermal battery technology, enabling new business opportunities and job creation. Business opportunities can be observed in the design, construction, and operation of thermal batteries within client companies, as well as in operating a new type of energy storage service for subscribers. At the same time, it provides energy companies operating in heat and electricity production with the opportunity to stabilize electricity prices during production peaks.

Selection of application-level modeling targets and examination of the thermal battery and various energy forms’ balance. Model delineation and creation, and determination of parameters for different scenarios. Testing the model as part of the energy system of a target and its integration into different sites, various situations, and different seasons.

Modeling provides insights into the functionality of thermal batteries as part of a single-site energy production system in various energy production situations. The acquired expertise can be utilized in education, at least in the Bachelor of Engineering in Energy Technology and Circular Economy program, and in R&D work as a potential component of future projects.

The project’s JTF funding is granted by the Regional Council of Northern Ostrobothnia. The project is coordinated by the University of Oulu, and Oulu University of Applied Sciences participates in the project implementation.