Speaker
Description
Decarbonizing industrial heat remains one of the most challenging tasks for achieving climate neutrality. In Belgium, a significant share of industrial energy demand is for high-temperature heat (>100 °C), yet conventional electrification solutions, such as high-temperature heat pumps, often struggle to compete with fossil fuels on cost. While carbon pricing could improve their economics, industrial operators face constraints related to process continuity, high investment costs, and limited in-house expertise for advanced thermal technologies. In contrast, sectors like wind and solar benefited from early, large-scale governmental investments that catalyzed market development and created self-sustaining demand.
In this context, heat-integrated Carnot batteries — or Pumped Thermal Energy Storage (PTES) systems — offer a promising solution. By coupling a Brayton-cycle-based system with high- and low-temperature thermal storage, PTES can both store excess renewable electricity and deliver flexible heat and power to industrial processes. Such systems can provide demand-following, high-grade heat while leveraging simpler, lower-capex designs to reduce investment barriers.
To illustrate this potential, a use case based on real industrial data is presented. Various business models, including Heat-as-a-Service and leasing arrangements, are evaluated to assess economic feasibility and industrial acceptability. Results highlight that robust, simplified PTES configurations can provide flexible, cost-competitive heat supply, supporting industrial decarbonization while enhancing integration with renewable electricity. The study demonstrates how thermal energy storage can play a central role in transitioning industrial sites toward low-carbon, flexible, and resilient energy systems.
| If your abstract is not accepted for an oral presentation, would you be interested in presenting it as a poster instead? | Yes |
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| If accepted by the Scientific Board, I agree to have my presentation/poster and abstract published on the Belgian Climate Centre websites and social media. | Yes |
