Physical Storage
World's first industrial power-to-gas plant
In the WOMBAT project, researchers are pursuing the idea of combining the electricity and gas network. The intention is to utilise surplus electricity from renewable sources for generating hydrogen. This is synthesised with carbon dioxide in biogas plants to form methane, which is the main component of natural gas. This makes it possible to utilise the complex infrastructure for the gas industry, ranging from the transport to the storage. ... more
Lithium, the renewable coal
Lithium can be used for chemically storing electricity as part of a cycle in which it is first generated electrochemically using surplus electricity and then combusted as required in a power plant-compatible process to release the energy again. In the “LiKohle” project, researchers are investigating and assessing the possible reaction processes, for example in a carbon dioxide or nitrogen atmosphere. Valuable chemical raw materials can be generated as a by-product of the energy conversion. ... more
Reducing the costs with new materials
In the project Ekolyser alliance partners to develop scientific and industrial cost sustainable materials for the polymer electrolyte membrane electrolysis. The aim of the research project is the PEM electrolysis can perform effectively for use in mass markets by 2020. ... more
Direct conversion of solarenergy in hydrogen
So far, in solar hydrogen generation PV modules are coupled via a dc interface with a central electrolysis unit. The aim of the joint project "HyCon" was therefore a radical simplification of the system by using novel integrated approach. To this end, in a concentrator High Efficient III- V multijunction solar cells are connected directly to an electrolysis cell. In tis way, still unmatched conversion efficiencies of sunlight into hydrogen more than 20 percent can be achieved. ... more
Hydrogen from the sea
Scientists of Berlins Technische Universität Berlin and Freie Universität explore catalytic systems for hydrogen electrolysis directly from seawater. The non-precious metal catalysts should be inexpensive to produce. They make it possible to store renewable energy as hydrogen even at sites with water shortage. This option could be used for offshore wind farms or solar thermal power plants. ... more
Hot water storage tank
Scientists develop a new type of hot water tanks with volumes between 5 to 100 m³ for outdoor use. The specific costs shall reach from 750 to 900 €/m³. Additionally the thermal ability of the tanks will be improved significantly by adding a combination of innovative concepts. ... more
Increase dynamism with three-dimensional wire mesh
To equip modular storage units for a temperature range of 150 to 350 degrees Celsius and achieve high energy and power densities at the same time, is the declared aim of the researchers in the MOSPEDRA-project. The scientists first need to increase the dynamics of the memory modules. They want to achieve with a new metallic thermal wire mesh, which is embedded in a phase-change material. ... more
Waste heat used for production of precast concrete
Researchers develop new components in the project ENBELAT. To use the hydration heat they provide concrete precast molds with a heat recovery and save the heat in a latent heat storage. This increases the quality and helps the energy consumption to be reduced 45 percent. ... more
Cheaper slurries for cooling processes
In order to reduce the cost of PCM storages, scientists develop new slurries and materials for cold storages. The aim of the project KOLAN is to develop an emulsion with a very high heat capacity. At a temperature difference of 6 Kelvin it should store about four times more heat than water. ... more
New economical phase change material
Scientists at the University of Bayreuth are optimizing mobile latent heat storages. In the project MALATrans they improve charging and discharging capacity of the heat storages and analyse how the manufacturing costs can be reduced. The phase change materials they are working with are macroencapsulated. ... more
