Heat: The small business with a big plan to cut carbon emissions
Oct 7, 2023
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A small business in Hampshire has developed a heat battery that could cut global carbon emissions by 4%. The battery uses aluminium and gravel to produce heat on demand. The podcast explores the challenges of decarbonizing heat and the potential of heat storage in reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
Caldera has developed heat batteries made of basalt fragments and aluminum that can store and decarbonize heat, offering a solution to decarbonizing industrial processes.
Compared to electricity batteries, heat batteries are significantly cheaper, can store heat for longer periods, and have the potential to eliminate 4% of global carbon emissions.
Deep dives
Heat Batteries: A Game Changer for Decarbonizing Heat
Caldera, a company in Hampshire, has developed heat batteries that store and decarbonize heat, addressing the challenge of decarbonizing industrial processes that rely heavily on fossil fuels. These heat batteries are made of basalt fragments and aluminum, which are heated to high temperatures and surrounded by a vacuum to retain heat. The technology allows for the efficient storage and use of electricity as heat, displacing the need for natural gas. The applications for these heat batteries are vast, particularly in industries such as food manufacturing, brewing, distilling, and pharmaceuticals.
The Cost and Environmental Impact of Heat Storage
Compared to electricity batteries, storing energy as heat in these heat batteries is significantly cheaper. The low-grade aluminum used in the manufacturing process serves the purpose of conducting heat effectively. The gravel and engine blocks used in conjunction with aluminum are abundant and inexpensive worldwide. Storing heat has a significant advantage over electricity storage, as it can be stored for longer periods, allowing for energy to be shifted from times of excess to times of high demand. Heat storage will become increasingly important as the country aims to decarbonize its power system and integrate renewable energy sources.
The Potential Impact and Future of Heat Batteries
Heat batteries have the potential to eliminate 4% of global carbon emissions, equivalent to the impact of aviation. By providing low-cost and low-carbon heat, they can have a substantial positive effect on decarbonizing industrial processes and buildings. The market for heat storage is expected to grow as electricity prices fluctuate and grid constraints limit the capacity for solar panel installation. The ability to time-shift renewable electricity and provide flexibility in energy usage will be critical in the future to achieve decarbonization goals.
Half of energy is used as heat and, both across the world and here in the UK, most of that comes from fossil fuels.
But a small business in Hampshire thinks that have the solution to store and decarbonise heat - a heat battery. If successful, the breakthrough could eliminate 4% of global carbon emissions.
On this week's ClimateCast Tom Heap visits the factory producing heat batteries for industry purposes. He speaks to founder James McNaghten about how aluminium and gravel could produce heat, on demand.
Plus he speaks to Dr Iain Staffell, senior lecturer in Sustainable Energy at Imperial College London, about how to scale up the producing of heat batteries and their potential.
Podcast producer: Emma Rae Woodhouse Field producer: Mickey Carroll
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