Demonstration of innovative, large-scale, seasonal heat and/or cooling storage technologies for decarbonisation and security of supply

Demonstration of innovative heat and/or cooling storage technologies, going beyond the state of the art, which address long-term energy storage up to cross-seasonal storage. Large-scale solutions are expected to be embedded into

• District-level heating and/or cooling storage.
• and/or integrate heat supply (industry waste heat) and demand for heat for industrial processes.

Where appropriate, contribution to Power-to-Heat-to-Power technology should be explored.

They should optimise CAPEX, OPEX and round-trip efficiency of heat storage, as well as circularity and sustainability of the system and its components, which are expected to be non-toxic, highly durable and reasonably easy to recycle. Land (space) footprint is also an important aspect which should be taken into account. An LCA should be performed. Strategic independence is to be considered, i.e. use of abundant materials whenever it is possible.

The demonstration projects should address the required methodologies for the predictive maintenance and control of the whole system.

Maximum use of all available thermal energy sources as well as systemic approach to integration into energy system is to be ensured.

(Indirect) collaboration with IEA’s Energy Storage Technology Collaboration Programme is to be ensured, e.g. through IEA Member States. Notably: Task 39 “Large Thermal Energy Storages for District Heating”.

Basic material research is excluded.

Projects should address economic viability studies validated by industry and assessment of large-scale replication potential. The exploitation plans should include business plan indicating the possible funding sources to be potentially used (such as private equity, InvestEU, EU Catalyst Partnership and the Innovation Fund).