Imagine a giant battery that stores energy as intense heat instead of chemicals, reaching temperatures over 1200°C. Instead of using loud, spinning turbines to turn that heat back into electricity, this system uses solid-state chips that work like solar panels for heat. It's essentially a silent, motionless power wall that can store solar energy or excess grid power for later use.
Current renewable energy systems struggle to store heat cost-effectively and convert ultra-high temperature heat back into electricity without using bulky, expensive mechanical turbines.
Five advanced energy conversion devices (TIG, TEG, TPV and hybrids TIPV, TITEG) and two pilot-scale thermal batteries using latent and sensible heat.
If you are a solar plant operator dealing with the inability to provide power after sunset — this project developed hybrid thermal converters that can store concentrated sunlight and provide electric power on-demand. This allows for dispatchable renewable energy systems with a targeted efficiency of over 30%.
If you are a manufacturer dealing with high-temperature heat waste and carbon emissions — this project developed static converters capable of operating at 1200 to 1600 °C. This enables the decarbonization of industrial heat by converting thermal energy back into electricity without moving parts.
If you are a storage provider dealing with the high cost and short lifespan of chemical batteries — this project developed a 'dispatchable power wall' using latent and sensible heat batteries. These systems offer a scalable alternative to mechanical engines for long-duration storage.
Based on available project data, specific pricing or cost-per-kWh figures are not provided; however, the project aims to provide a cost-effective alternative to current high-temperature conversion gaps.
Yes, the project is developing pilot-scale thermal battery concepts and describes the converters as a scalable alternative to thermomechanical engines like turbines.
Based on available project data, specific licensing terms are not mentioned, but the project involves 3 industry partners and 3 SMEs who are developing the active materials and architectures.
The project targets a reliability period of more than 500 hours for the hybrid converters.
The system uses a 'dispatchable power wall' concept, which allows it to route heat through converters to supply clean electricity on demand.
The consortium is well-balanced for technology transfer, consisting of 7 partners across 5 countries. With an industry ratio of 43% (including 3 SMEs), there is a strong commercial drive to move the research from the 2 universities and 2 research centers into practical applications. The presence of SMEs suggests a focus on agile development of the specific converter components.
Contact the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) in Italy
Contact us to connect with the BLAZETEC consortium for TRL 5 pilot integration.
