Energy storage hot lava

How does a hot air storage system work?

The project uses 1,000 tonnes of volcanic rock as the storage medium. Electrical energy is converted into hot air through a resistance heater and blower, heating the rock to 650 C. When demand peaks, the system’s steam turbine reconverts the energy into electricity.

Do hot rocks store more energy than lithium ion?

'Hot rocks' in a box While the word “battery” most likely evokes the chemical kind found in cars and electronics in 2023, hot rocks currently store ten times as much energy as lithium ion around the world, thanks to an invention from the 1800s known as Cowper stoves.

Can stored heat be used to power a power plant?

Stored heat can be added to existing cycles. Finally, it can offer a second life for power plants. The system would replace generation, drawing electricity from the local grid or renewable sources, while using the existing steam cycle and operation processes.

Can a new storage medium be used to power fossil-fuel-fired power plants?

They also believe the technology can easily be fitted to existing fossil-fuel-fired generation plants that are closing, using existing equipment to produce electricity from the new storage medium, and send to the grid. The project uses 1,000 tonnes of volcanic rock as the storage medium.

Is there a loss of heat storage capacity during a charging cycle?

There is no loss of capacity throughout the charging cycles. Siemens Gamesa says it wants to use the pilot plant to test the effectiveness of its heat storage and at a later stage, apply the technology in commercial projects. The goal for the near future is to expand the storage capacity from today’s maximum of 130 MWh to several gigawatt hours.