Thermal storage
Your heat production and your heating needs do not always coincide. Newheat stores your energy when it is available and releases it at the right time, at the right temperature.
solution
What is thermal storage ?
Thermal storage involves accumulating heat when it is available or cheap, to release it later when the need arises. It works on the same principle as a giant thermos flask.
This tool for flexibility enables the decoupling of heat production from its consumption. It improves the profitability of the entire installation, provides flexibility in the operation of your system, and maximises the value of every MWh produced.
How does a thermal storage work ?
The process consists of three stages: capture, storage and release.
Heat is fed into the storage system from any production source: waste heat recovery, electric boilers, solar thermal, biomass, etc. It is stored in a liquid or solid medium, the size of which is determined by the energy and temperatures required, and then released back into the network or the industrial process depending on its heat requirements.
Three types of storage depending on requirements:
- short-term storage, or daily storage, lasting from a few hours to a day, to smooth out fluctuations between production and consumption,
- long-term storage, or seasonal storage , lasting from several days to several weeks, to build up seasonal reserves or cover periods of low production;
- ETES (Electrified Thermal Energy Storage), which converts electricity into heat and stores it at high temperatures in solid materials with high thermal capacity, before releasing it as required
When should heat be stored ?
Thermal storage is relevant whenever your heat production and consumption are not synchronised. This is the case for most renewable heat systems: waste heat produced continuously but consumed intermittently, an electric boiler operated during off-peak hours, a district heating network subject to winter consumption peaks, and solar thermal systems.
It can also help reduce the installed capacity of a heat source by smoothing out power demands throughout the day.
customer benefits
How you benefit from integrating thermal storage
Making the most of every MWh produced
Without storage, excess heat is lost. With a storage tank, you can capture this surplus and release it when your process needs it.
Ensuring continuity of supply
The thermal storage system absorbs fluctuations in production, such as the intermittent nature of solar or wind power, process shutdowns and variations in waste heat, and guarantees a stable and predictable heat supply to your process.
Reducing installed capacity
Storage allows you to size your production equipment to average consumption rather than peak demand. You reduce initial CAPEX and connection costs.
Optimising your electricity bill
You can concentrate your heat production during the most favourable times, whether that’s off-peak hours for an electric boiler or periods of high waste heat production. This automatically reduces the need for costly fossil fuel top-ups.
Does your industrial site or district heating network have thermal requirements to meet?
NEWHEAT support
Newheat integrates a thermal battery into your system
Newheat develops, designs, finances and operates thermal storage systems, either as stand-alone solutions or integrated into multi-technology projects. We can manage the entire project or a specific stage, depending on your needs.
Audit and sizing
We model your production and consumption profiles on an hourly basis to precisely determine the required capacity: volume, temperature, charging and discharging rates, retention time and control modes. This precise modelling is key to cost-effective sizing.
Design and implementation
We design and install your system, with performance commitments set out in the contract from the moment it is signed. Whether you are working with an existing system or a new project, we design the hydraulic integration and storage control system to work seamlessly with your equipment.
Operation and maintenance
We manage the operation, maintenance and optimisation of your storage system throughout the duration of the contract. You receive heat without having to manage the installation.
Let’s assess the decarbonisation potential of your industrial site or district heating network
Newheat provides you with renewable heat that is cheaper than your current solution, with a price indexed to the market of your choice: electricity, biomass or a sector-specific index. This allows you to maintain control over your costs and competitiveness. We can assist at whatever stage you need, from development through to the operation of the plant.
