Siemens Energy has entered a long-term partnership with Norwegian thermal energy storage company EnergyNest, seeking to incorporate its market-ready storage units in projects.

EnergyNest has developed a thermal battery consisting of modular 20-feet intermodal containers that use inexpensive heat conducive concrete in steel casings as storage medium.

The concept has some similarities to a thermal storage battery consisting mostly of hot rocks, which Siemens’ wind turbine subsidiary Siemens Gamesa has built as a pilot plant in Hamburg.

“Energy storage is the key to a decarbonized world,” said Jörn Schmücker, chief executive for large rotating equipment at Siemens Energy and sponsor of the initiative.

EnergyNext has two commercial projects underway, including a thermal battery for Italian oil firm Eni, and repurposing of waste heat into primary energy input for Austrian brick manufacturer Senftenbacher.

Siemens Energy and the Norwegian company in a memorandum of understanding (MoU) stated the plan to realise first commercial projects within one year.

"Our agreement with Siemens Energy is further validation of our market-ready solution for decarbonizing heat, and ability to reduce emissions in hard-to-abate sectors,” EnergyNest chief executive Christian Thiel said.

Industrial conglomerate Siemens later this year plans to spin off Siemens Energy, which will own the majority (67%) in wind turbine OEM Siemens Gamesa.

Transition

Siemens Energy teams up with Norwegian concrete thermal battery firm