New Thermal Battery and Solar Tech Help Mining Companies Get Rid of Diesel
A robust new battery from 247Solar Inc., a spinoff of MIT, operates almost like an electrochemical battery but has significant advantages at longer durations. The basic principle of the thermal battery is rather simple. Electric resistance coils heat an inexpensive thermal storage medium (silica sand) using low-cost excess electricity, e.g., from intermittent solar and wind power sources. Energy is stored as ultra-high temperature heat (up to 1000℃/1850℉) – at a fraction of the cost of batteries. Whenever needed, a specialized turbine reconverts the heat to electricity. Uniquely, the innovative turbine can do this without combustion, as atmospheric-pressure air is passed through the “Thermal Storage” and drives the “Turbine” to generate electricity.
By adding a combustor, the battery can also produce even more dispatchable backup power, ideally using an emission-free fuel such as green hydrogen in the combustion process. This is also how the battery can provide spinning reserves. The innovative approach is designed to replace traditional diesel gensets at remote mines, as it provides 24/7 highly reliable operation with higher renewables penetration, significant fuel savings, and dramatically lower lifetime operating costs.
“In the mining industry, we see more and more off-grid microgrids that incorporate short-term energy storage systems”, explains Thomas Hillig, managing director of the microgrid consultancy THEnergy. “As the market is maturing, we see that miners are ready for… Read full coverage
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