Enel teams up with Brenmiller to test rock-based energy storage
Reuters
Published Nov 04, 2022 11:07AM ET
MILAN (Reuters) - Italy's biggest utility Enel (BIT:ENEI) and Israel's Brenmiller Energy have teamed up to build a rock-based storage system in Tuscany as they test new technologies to increase flexibility in the use of renewable energy.
The two groups inaugurated on Friday a thermal energy storage (TES) project integrated with Enel's power plant near the Tuscan town of Arezzo.
The technology allows excess energy produced from renewable sources to be stored in the form of heat and makes the power plant more flexible, the two groups said in a joint statement.
"This solution makes renewables more reliable, flexible and resilient and can be used to decarbonise sectors that need heat at high temperatures," said Enel's Head of Innovation Ernesto Ciorra, adding the system was based on the use of common stones and not rare materials, making it sustainable.
The TES technology utilizes a two-stage charge and discharge process to provide thermal energy. During the charging phase, steam produced by Enel's power plant passes through pipes to heat adjacent crushed rocks. During the discharging phase, the accumulated heat is released to heat pressurized water and generate steam for electricity.
This system can store up to 24 MWh of clean heat at a temperature of about 550°C for five hours, providing critical resiliency to the power plant.
The project was partly financed by the Israeli Innovation Authority, which supported Brenmiller with 1 million euros in financing.
Get The News You Want
Written By: Reuters
Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.