Electrified Thermal Solutions (ETS) and its industrial partners – 3M, Buzzi Unicem USA, and Amy’s Kitchen – have received an award from the Department of Energy (DOE) to decarbonize industrial heating in sectors such as manufacturing, cement, food, and chemicals.
While many power generation and transportation sectors have seen a steady decline in carbon emissions, heavy industries still remain a notable exception due to their reliance on fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas – contributing nearly 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
To overcome this, ETS will use the awarded cost-matching funds from the grant to build and operate the first commercial-scale pilot of its Joule Hive thermal battery (JHTB) at the SwRI industrial demonstration facilities in San Antonio, Texas.
Developed at MIT, the JHTB can convert clean energy-derived electricity to 1,800°C temperature heat in ambient air conditions using its proprietary E-Brick heating elements. With this technology, the JHTB can produce, store, and deliver zero-carbon, competitively priced, on-demand, high-temperature heat to meet the demands of industrial markets, such as steel, cement, and glass.
During the pilot program, project collaborator EPRI will conduct analyses on lifecycle cost and techno-economics, and will be used to assist with third-party verification and identifying potential deployment sites.
A broad group of additional industrials have already declared support for the project and will serve as additional advisors during the pilot program, such as Novelis (aluminum), Imerys (minerals), Entergy (electric utility), and the Tennessee Valley Authority (electric utility).
