New Thermal Battery Supplies Clean Heat for Oil Extraction – IEEE Spectrum

Report on Thermal Battery Technology and its Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Introduction: Decarbonizing Industrial Heat for Climate Action

Industrial heat generation, a process fundamental to manufacturing sectors such as steel, cement, and chemicals, accounts for over 20% of global energy consumption and approximately 18% of greenhouse gas emissions. The decarbonization of this sector is critical for achieving global climate targets. This report analyzes the emergence of thermal battery technology as a key innovation for advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a specific focus on Rondo Energy’s recent deployment.

2.0 Technology Overview: The Rondo Heat Battery

Rondo Energy has developed and deployed a thermal battery system designed to convert intermittent renewable electricity into continuous, high-temperature industrial heat. This innovation directly supports the transition to sustainable industrial processes.

• Charging Mechanism: The system utilizes renewable electricity, often sourced from solar arrays during periods of low-cost abundance, to heat resistive iron wires, similar to a toaster.
• Energy Storage Medium: Heat is transferred to and stored in hundreds of tonnes of refractory bricks, which can reach temperatures up to 1,500°C.
• Discharge Process: On demand, air is circulated through the brick structure, heating it to over 1,000°C. This superheated air can be used directly in industrial processes or to generate steam, replacing the need for fossil fuel combustion.
• Operational Efficiency: The system is designed for rapid charging and can deliver heat continuously at a stable temperature, addressing a key challenge in industrial energy provision.

3.0 Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Thermal battery technology represents a significant advancement in achieving several key SDGs by addressing the interconnected challenges of energy, industry, and climate change.

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The technology directly increases the share of renewable energy in the final energy consumption mix by creating a viable use for surplus solar and wind power (Target 7.2).
   • It promotes investment in clean energy technology and infrastructure, converting low-cost renewable electricity into high-value industrial heat (Target 7.a).
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • This innovation facilitates the upgrading of industrial infrastructure, enabling heavy industries to adopt clean technologies and sustainable processes (Target 9.4).
   • By providing a pathway to electrify heat, it enhances the technological capabilities of industrial sectors, reducing their environmental impact and resource intensity (Target 9.5).
3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • The technology promotes more sustainable production patterns by replacing fossil fuels with a clean energy source, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of manufactured goods.
4. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The primary function of the thermal battery is to mitigate climate change by abating industrial CO2 emissions. Rondo’s initial project is projected to save nearly 13,000 tonnes of CO2 annually by displacing a gas-fired boiler.
   • It strengthens the capacity for climate change-related planning and management by providing a scalable technological solution for industrial decarbonization.

4.0 Market Landscape and Applications

A growing number of companies are developing thermal storage solutions, indicating a burgeoning market for industrial decarbonization technologies. Key players and applications include:

• Market Competitors: Antora Energy (carbon-block batteries), EnergyNest (concrete-based modules), Calectra (ultra-high-temperature systems), and EarthEn Energy (low-temperature batteries).
• Target Industries: The technology is applicable across sectors requiring consistent high temperatures, including:
  • Steel and Cement Manufacturing (>1,000°C)
  • Chemical Production
  • Food and Beverage Processing (e.g., pasteurization)
• Initial Deployment Case: Rondo Energy’s first commercial-scale battery is supplying heat for an enhanced oil recovery facility. While the application has generated controversy, it demonstrates the technology’s capability to replace fossil fuel-based heat generation in an energy-intensive process.

5.0 Challenges to Scalability and Adoption

For thermal batteries to achieve widespread impact and accelerate progress on the SDGs, several systemic challenges must be addressed:

1. Regulatory Frameworks: Access to dynamic, real-time electricity pricing is essential for industrial customers to capitalize on low-cost renewable energy. Many current regulatory structures only permit fixed-rate power purchasing, hindering the economic viability of the technology.
2. Economic Competition: The price of natural gas, particularly in regions like the United States, remains a significant competitive factor. A higher relative price for fossil fuels, as seen in Europe, would accelerate the adoption of thermal batteries.
3. Infrastructure and Integration: The physical footprint of the battery system and associated renewable energy generation may pose integration challenges for existing industrial sites with space constraints.
4. Investment and Technology Risk: As a nascent technology, high up-front capital costs and perceived risk may make potential customers hesitant to invest without further validation and de-risking.

6.0 Conclusion and Forward Outlook

Thermal battery technology is a promising and scalable solution for decarbonizing the industrial sector, a critical component of global efforts to meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals. By converting intermittent renewable electricity into reliable, high-temperature heat, these systems directly support SDG 7, SDG 9, and SDG 13. Overcoming regulatory and economic hurdles will be crucial to unlocking the full potential of this technology to create meaningful climate impact and foster a new era of sustainable industrial production.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
   • The article focuses on Rondo Energy’s thermal battery, which converts “cheap renewable electricity” from solar arrays into heat. This directly relates to providing clean and affordable energy solutions. The technology is presented as a way to utilize intermittent renewable sources like solar power, which is central to SDG 7.
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • The article discusses an innovative technology (the thermal battery) designed to “decarbonize emissions-heavy sectors like steelmaking and cement.” This represents an upgrade to industrial infrastructure, making it more sustainable and efficient, which is a core component of SDG 9. The focus is on retrofitting industries with “clean and environmentally sound technologies.”
3. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • The technology aims to replace fossil fuels in industrial processes. The article notes that the battery replaced a “gas-fired boiler,” reducing reliance on natural gas. This promotes more sustainable production patterns by improving resource efficiency and reducing waste (in this case, emissions), aligning with the goals of SDG 12.
4. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • A primary benefit of the thermal battery highlighted in the article is its role in climate change mitigation. The text explicitly states that the project will save “just under 13,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.” By providing a solution to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from industrial heat, which accounts for “about 18 percent of greenhouse gas emissions,” the article directly addresses the urgent need for climate action.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy):
   • Target 7.2: “By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.” The article describes how the thermal battery is powered by a “20-MW solar array,” directly contributing to increasing the use of renewable energy, especially in the industrial sector.
   • Target 7.3: “By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency.” The thermal battery is a form of energy storage that captures and stores energy from renewable sources when it is abundant and cheap, for later use. This improves the overall efficiency of the energy system by reducing the curtailment of renewable power.
2. Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):
   • Target 9.4: “By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes…” The article’s subject, a thermal battery supplying clean heat for industrial processes, is a perfect example of a clean technology being adopted to retrofit and upgrade an existing industrial facility (an oil recovery operation) to make it more sustainable.
3. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Target 13.2: “Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning.” While the article doesn’t discuss national policies, the technology itself is a tangible climate change mitigation measure. Its deployment in an “emissions-heavy” sector is a direct action to combat climate change, which is the essence of this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For Target 7.2 (Increase share of renewable energy):
   • An indicator is the installed capacity of renewable energy generation. The article explicitly mentions the battery is “powered by an off-grid, 20-MW solar array.” This provides a quantifiable measure of the renewable energy infrastructure added.
2. For Target 9.4 (Upgrade industries with clean technologies):
   • A key indicator is the reduction of emissions from manufacturing and industrial processes. The article provides a precise figure: the project will “save Holmes just under 13,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.” This serves as a direct indicator of progress in making industries cleaner.
3. For Target 7.3 (Improve energy efficiency):
   • Indicators for energy efficiency and storage capacity are mentioned. The article states the battery has a “100-megawatt-hour” capacity and can heat bricks to “temperatures up to 1,500 °C” and discharge heat at over “1,000 °C.” These technical specifications are indicators of the technology’s performance and efficiency in storing and delivering energy.
4. Implied Indicator for Fossil Fuel Reduction:
   • The article implies an indicator related to the reduction of fossil fuel consumption. It states that the thermal battery and solar array replaced a “gas-fired boiler.” Therefore, the amount of natural gas no longer consumed by the facility is a measurable indicator of the shift away from fossil fuels.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: spectrum.ieee.org