CREATE · Project

Heat Battery That Stores Renewable Energy in Existing Buildings Without Losses

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Imagine a rechargeable battery, but instead of storing electricity, it stores heat — and it never leaks. The CREATE team built a "heat battery" using special chemical materials that absorb heat when you have too much (sunny afternoon, cheap electricity) and release it when you need it (cold winter evening). Unlike a hot water tank that cools down over days, this system can hold heat for months with zero loss. They tested a full-size prototype in a real building, proving it works for retrofitting older homes toward near-zero energy use.

By the numbers

consortium partners involved in development

countries represented in the consortium

81%

industry ratio in consortium

industry partners in the supply chain

total project deliverables completed

The business problem

What needed solving

Older buildings waste enormous amounts of energy because they cannot effectively store heat from renewable sources or off-peak electricity. Hot water tanks are bulky, lose heat over time, and cannot bridge seasonal gaps between when energy is available and when it is needed. Building owners and energy providers need a compact, loss-free storage solution that fits into existing structures without major reconstruction.

The solution

What was built

The project delivered a final storage module prototype — a compact heat battery based on thermo-chemical materials that stores heat without losses. Across 24 deliverables, the team developed stabilized storage materials with high density, optimized heat exchangers, and complete storage modules that were integrated and demonstrated full-scale in a real building.

Audience

Who needs this

Building retrofit contractors targeting near-zero energy certificationsEnergy utilities managing grid flexibility and renewable intermittencyHVAC equipment manufacturers developing next-generation thermal productsReal estate developers upgrading existing building stock for energy complianceDistrict heating operators seeking seasonal thermal storage solutions

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Building renovation and retrofitting

mid-size

Target: Construction firms and retrofit contractors specializing in energy upgrades for existing residential and commercial buildings

If you are a building renovation company struggling to meet near-zero energy targets in older buildings — this project developed a compact heat battery based on thermo-chemical materials that stores renewable heat with zero losses. It was demonstrated full-scale in a real building with 16 consortium partners validating the supply chain, giving you a proven storage module to integrate into retrofit projects.

District heating and energy utilities

enterprise

Target: Energy utilities and district heating operators looking to balance grid loads and store excess renewable energy

If you are an energy utility dealing with electricity peaks from wind and solar that go to waste — this project built a thermal storage system that converts those surplus electricity peaks into stored heat for later use. With 13 industry partners across 9 countries already involved in validating the technology, this gives you a grid flexibility tool that has moved from lab to building-scale demonstration.

HVAC and thermal systems manufacturing

mid-size

Target: Manufacturers of heating, ventilation, and thermal storage equipment seeking next-generation compact storage products

If you are an HVAC manufacturer looking for compact thermal storage products that outperform hot water tanks — this project developed optimized heat exchangers and storage modules using stabilized thermo-chemical materials with high storage density and low cost. The consortium delivered 24 project deliverables including a final storage module prototype ready for product development.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this heat battery cost compared to conventional thermal storage?

The project included a dedicated work package (WP2) on cost analysis and planning for future commercial products. The objective explicitly targets "economically affordable" storage. Based on available project data, specific price points per kWh are not published in the dataset, but cost competitiveness was a core design requirement.

Can this scale to full building installations or multi-building systems?

Yes. The project moved through reactor design (WP6), system integration (WP7), and full-scale building demonstration (WP8). The final storage module prototype was delivered and tested in a real building, confirming the technology works at installation scale, not just in the lab.

Who owns the IP and can I license this technology?

The consortium of 16 partners across 9 countries developed this under an EU RIA grant, meaning IP is shared among partners. The coordinator AEE - Institut fur Nachhaltige Technologien in Austria would be the first point of contact for licensing discussions. With 13 industry partners involved, exploitation routes were planned from the start.

Does this comply with building energy regulations in Europe?

The project objective states that regulatory and normative boundaries were taken into account during the full-scale demonstration. The technology targets the EU push toward near-zero energy buildings, positioning it well for current and upcoming building energy performance directives.

How long did development take and what is the current status?

The project ran for 5 years from October 2015 to August 2020 and is now closed. A final storage module prototype was delivered, and the technology was demonstrated in a real building. The consortium was specifically designed to cover the full supply chain for commercialization.

How does this integrate with existing heating systems in older buildings?

The system was specifically designed for retrofit into existing buildings, not just new construction. Work packages covered system definition and design (WP3), system integration and optimization (WP7), and building integration with full-scale demonstration (WP8). The compact form factor is a key selling point for space-constrained retrofits.

Consortium

Who built it

This is a heavily industry-driven consortium with 13 out of 16 partners (81%) coming from industry, supported by 2 research organizations and 1 university across 9 European countries. The coordinator AEE in Austria is a recognized sustainable technology institute. The geographic spread — AT, BE, CZ, DE, FR, IT, NL, PL, UK — covers major European construction and energy markets. The high industry ratio signals this was designed for commercial exploitation from day one, with the full value and supply chain deliberately assembled within the consortium. For a business buyer, this means the technology was developed with manufacturing, cost, and market realities in mind — not as a pure academic exercise.

AEE - INSTITUT FUR NACHHALTIGE TECHNOLOGIENCoordinator · AT
DOW BENELUX BVthirdparty · NL
ELECTRICITE DE FRANCEparticipant · FR
NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNOparticipant · NL
RINA CONSULTING SPAparticipant · IT
VAILLANT GMBHparticipant · DE
DOW DEUTSCHLAND ANLAGENGESELLSCHAFTMBHparticipant · DE
MOSTOSTAL WARSZAWA SAparticipant · PL
RINA SERVICES SPAthirdparty · IT
FENIX TNT SROparticipant · CZ
CALDIC NEDERLAND BVparticipant · NL
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT EINDHOVENparticipant · NL

How to reach the team

AEE - Institut fur Nachhaltige Technologien (Austria) — contact via SciTransfer for introductions to the research team and industry partners.

Order a report on this consortium See AEE - INSTITUT FUR NACHHALTIGE TECHNOLOGIEN profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing or integration of this heat battery technology? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the CREATE consortium partners best suited to your needs.

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