HiTES - High-Temperature Thermal Energy Storage for decarbonised and flexible industry processes

Thermal energy storage (TES), or thermal batteries, is a collective term for technologies that seek to store heat or cold, much in the same way that batteries store electric power. And just like electric batteries provide flexibility to the power grid and individual electric consumer, TES can provide flexibility for heating and cooling applications. This becomes increasingly important considering that about half of the energy used in Norway and Europe is used for heating and cooling purposes, and that for most industrial process heating demands are still covered by fossil fuels. In a European perspective, process heating alone is responsible for 12% of the total greenhouse gas emissions. Electrification, through heat-pumps and electric boilers, is the easiest way to decarbonize process heat. This electrification, together with the increasing amount of intermittent renewable energy sources installed, puts a large strain on the power grid, and is in places not at all possible without end user flexibility – the possibility to regulate power use of the end user. TES provides this end-user flexibility by storing either surplus heat or cheap, off-peak electricity as thermal energy, and use the stored energy for peak shaving and backup. HiTES is a four-year project between SINTEF, AIT and NTNU as research partners, TES suppliers EnergyNest and Cartesian, and Equinor, Yara and TotalEnergies as heat end users with high ambitions for decarbonization of their processes. The project will advance promising, novel high-temperature TES technologies that are not yet technologically mature. In addition, the project will promote integration of near-marked ready solutions in industrial processes, by developing models and tools for optimal operation, design and sizing of TES energy systems. Finally, HiTES will assess the regional energy system impacts of wide-scale industrial TES employment.

Industry is responsible for 25% of the total final energy consumption in the EU. Most of this energy demand is for heating processes; a demand which is still primarily covered by fossil fuels. The fastest way to decarbonize industrial heating is through electrification using power-to-heat technologies such as electric boilers and high-temperature heat pumps. Wide-scale electrification is however not possible without increased energy system flexibility, a flexibility that can be cost-efficiently provided through the integration of thermal energy storage (TES). HiTES is dedicated to developing high-temperature TES solutions for the decarbonized process industry. The project will advance promising, novel high-temperature TES technologies that are not yet technologically mature. In addition, the project will promote integration of higher TRL TES solutions in industrial processes, by developing models and tools for optimal operation, design and sizing of TES energy systems. Finally, HiTES will assess the energy system impacts of wide-scale industrial decarbonization through power-to-heat and TES. Led by SINTEF Energy Research, in collaboration with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), the project benefits from expertise in functional materials, TES systems, and energy systems modelling. The industry partners include both suppliers of novel TES solutions, EnergyNest and Cartesian; as well as end users with high ambitions for decarbonization of their processes, Equinor, Yara and TotalEnergies. HiTES aims to advance high-temperature TES solutions for decarbonizing industrial processes in a fossil-free energy system. Through collaboration and research efforts, it seeks to drive adoption of high-temperature TES technologies and contribute to a sustainable energy system.