Serbia-based Storenergy has developed a thermal vitality storage (TES) answer that makes use of recycled ceramics as a storage medium. It says its solid-state storage answer is designed to make sure lengthy life and low upkeep prices.
Though TES has largely did not scale to this point, options are rising to ship on the expertise’s promise of decarbonizing warmth and energy.
Now, Serbia-based Storenergy has developed a modular, packed-bed TES answer that makes use of recycled ceramic as a storage medium. The fabric comes from Masdar Metropolis-based Ceramic Supplies, which obtains recycled ceramic from industrial stable waste, comparable to metal slag, and might stand up to temperatures as much as 1,250 C.
“We selected this materials as a result of it doesn’t have complicated components, poisonous chemical compounds or supplies,” stated Marko Vuksanovic, CEO of Storenergy. pv journal.
Within the Storenergy system, the ceramic is heated as much as 900 C, after which the warmth is transferred to the air within the warmth exchanger after which the steam is generated in a classical steam turbine cycle.
“The electrical air heater, storage design, and steam generator are the novel components and all the things is commonplace gear, together with the steam turbine, condenser and the facility station,” stated Vuksanovic.
The corporate has already obtained patents for its expertise in the USA, Australia, and South Africa, whereas European paperwork are within the works.
“We determined to develop our thermal storage answer due to its effectivity and the worth we might obtain with it,” stated the CEO.
The capex of the answer stands at €12 ($13.49)/kWh. For an set up mixed with a PV plant, the levelized price of electrical energy (LCOE) is calculated between €42/MWh to €50/MWh for a 1.6 GWh thermal storage system with an influence output of 10 MW. The levelized price of warmth (LCOH) is calculated at €23/MWh for a thermal storage system with 330 MWh capability and with 5 MW warmth output.
The system has a excessive vitality content material per quantity of 450-500 kWh of warmth per cubic meter. “When you evaluate it with hydro energy crops, the distinction is large. A 100 meter excessive water column saves solely 0.27 kWh/m3. Our system is extra compact and has a smaller footprint and will be constructed near the vitality supply with out location limitations,” stated Vuksanovic.
For warmth, Storenergy sees efficiencies of round 90%, whereas for co-generation, the determine stands at 60%. For energy era alone, the corporate expects an effectivity of round 30-40%.
The system is claimed to be low upkeep, with a lifespan of 35 years. It’s designed to retailer vitality for as much as a month. “It does not make sense to make use of it for longer durations of time, as a result of the losses are about 1% a day,” stated Vuksanovic. Based on him, ideally, the period of storage ought to be 10 days leading to 5-10% warmth loss.
The corporate’s check mission is a 3 MWh TES system deployed on the CIEMAT institute in Spain. It’s accompanied by a small Natural Rankine Cycle containerized turbine, and has a footprint of 2m X 2m, and it’s 7 meters tall.
“Now, we’re looking out for traders who will help us deploy bigger techniques,” stated Vuksanovic. “We’re engaged on a few further initiatives in Serbia and one other one overseas. We additionally see nice curiosity in our expertise coming from India and the Center East.
As a result of measurement of the system and transport prices, the corporate’s technique is to create close to the placement of the mission and in cooperation with native companions within the areas of implementation of the initiatives for a lot of the civil works and fabrication.
“We wish to transfer our enterprise to the US, and negotiations are ongoing. It’s because it’s the largest market and is all the time prepared for brand spanking new concepts,” stated Vuksanovic.
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