Thermal energy storage solution firms Brenmiller and Kraftblock have agreed to deploy large-scale commercial projects for large European utilities, totalling 2GWh and 150MWh respectively.
Brenmiller Energy has signed a non-binding term sheet with an unnamed ‘Leading Global Clean Energy Utility Partner’ and developer Green Enesys Group for nine projects totalling 2GWh of thermal energy storage capacity.
The company’s solution, bGen, charges by heating rocks and discharges by releasing the accumulated heat to heat pressurised water and generate steam for electricity.
Under the agreement, Brenmiller’s bGen units will be produced at its gigawatt-scale production facility in Israel. Once the projects have been deployed the parties may join forces to build-out a manufacturing facility in Europe.
The term sheet also includes an option for the utility partner to become a strategic minority investor in Brenmiller.
Meanwhile, Germany-based firm Kraftblock has provided Energy-Storage.news with additional details on a project it announced in late 2022 with Dutch utility Eneco and PepsiCo, the soft drinks and snacks conglomerate.
Lay’s crisps at a PepsiCo facility north of Amsterdam will be fried using Kraftblock’s net-zero heat system powered by wind energy from Eneco.
The two-module system will replace an existing gas-fired boiler to and will have a thermal energy storage capacity of 70 MWh, making it the biggest commercial high-temperature energy storage project in the world, Kraftblock claimed.
A spokesperson told Energy-Storage.news that after phase one, three more modules will be deployed bringing the total capacity to 150MWh and increasing the emissions reduction to 98%, from 51% in phase one.
They added that Kraftblock is targeting markets like steel, metal processing, ceramics, food, paper and chemicals for its commercial rollout.
The Long-Duration Energy Storage Council (LDES Council) last year released a report that said thermal energy storage has the potential to expand the overall installed capacity potential of LDES by to 2-8TW by 2040, versus 1-3TW without.
Brenmiller, which is based in Israel and currently listed on both the Nasdaq and Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, recently announced plans to voluntarily de-list from the latter, with all ordinary shares transferred to the former which would not be affected by the move.
