Mwht lava energy storage

Can volcanic rocks store energy?

John Kosowatz is senior editor. A large electrothermal energy storage project in Hamburg, Germany, uses heated volcanic rocks to store energy. Siemens Gamesa, the company behind the pilot project, says it’s a cost-effective and scalable solution to store renewable energy.

What is lava & how does it work?

Led by a diverse team of experts from academia, business, and technology, LAVA introduces a new proprietary thermodynamic cycle, dramatically improving the efficiency and economics of heat to electricity and electricity to hear conversion, making clean energy not only a responsible choice but also a sound financial decision.

How does a volcanic rock storage system work?

The system uses crushed volcanic rock weighing 1,000 tonnes as a storage medium. The stones are kept in a thermally insulated container and heated to 750 degrees Celsius with a resistance heater and a blower powered by electricity from the grid. During peak demand, the hot air inside is converted back to electricity by a conventional steam turbine.

Can a large-scale battery storage project use volcanic rock?

A variety of battery deployments, for storage and production, have been introduced but large-scale storage projects remain few outside of traditional hydroelectric pumped storage. That could change if a large-scale pilot project using volcanic rock as a medium proves effective.

Why should you choose lava?

With LAVA, clean energy isn’t just the responsible choice – it’s also a profitable one. Our proprietary liquid-based technology achieves unprecedented efficiency (70-80% of Carnot), powering two roadmap solutions: The world's most efficient heat engine transforms heat into zero-emission electricity at near-perfect efficiency.

How much energy can a smelter produce a week?

When demand peaks, the system’s steam turbine reconverts the energy into electricity. Built on the site of an aluminum smelter, the pilot plant can store up to 130 MWh of thermal energy per week. Ultimately the firm wants the system to produce a minimum of 1 GWh.