Long-life energy storage containers for cement plants

Could concrete be used to store energy?

Now it is being developed for a new purpose: cost-effective, large-scale energy storage. EPRI and storage developer Storworks Power are examining a technology that uses concrete to store energy generated by thermal power plants (fossil, nuclear, and concentrating solar).

Can concrete store energy from thermal power plants?

EPRI and storage developer Storworks Power are examining a technology that uses concrete to store energy generated by thermal power plants (fossil, nuclear, and concentrating solar). Recent laboratory tests validated a Storworks Power design, setting the stage for a pilot-scale demonstration at an operating coal-fired power plant.

How long does a concrete thermal storage system last?

“1,500 thermal cycles are equivalent to more than three years of operation, so these tests give us a reasonably good indication of how the system will perform long-term,” said Hume. One concern with concrete thermal storage is that corrosion or defects in the tubes could result in steam leaks that create cavities in the concrete.

How much storage can a concrete system provide?

“With heat losses of about 1 percent per day, concrete systems can potentially provide several days of storage, which is what’s needed in wind- and solar-dominated energy markets. That’s well above the four hours of storage possible with today’s grid-scale battery storage systems.