Long-term energy storage developer MGA Thermal is one step closer to commissioning its behind-the-meter demonstration plant after receiving a $2.48 million windfall from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency.
From pv magazine ESS news place
Developer of thermal energy storage systems (TESS). MGA Thermal based in New South Wales, Australia, will take steps to scale their renewable energy generator to commercial deployment after receiving $2.48 million (USD1.6 million) in a second round of funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).
The first round initiated the MGA Thermal Energy Storage Project in 2022 to design, manufacture and operate a 0.5 MW thermal demonstration scale TESS using the company’s proprietary Miscibility Gap Alloy (MGA) technology company.
The final product has a planned storage capacity of 5 MWh and will demonstrate charging and discharging up to 500 kW.
We believe MGA Thermal will play a key role in enabling sustainable generation.
Mark Croudace, CEO of MGA Thermal, said the world’s industrial sector is at a pivotal moment in its sustainable energy and low-carbon journey and the funding will help the company re-commission and scale up the demonstrator for commercial commitment.
“We believe MGA Thermal will play a key role in enabling renewable generation to meet the needs of the industrial sector. A behind-the-meter energy storage solution that helps balance utility-scale renewables with distributed energy storage is critical for Australia to effectively manage the evolving supply-demand dynamics of a clean energy future,” Croudace said.
ARENA Chief Executive Officer Darren Miller said ARENA is committed to supporting companies with solutions for the country’s energy transition.
“We prioritize projects with lasting impact and see the value of MGA Thermal’s technology to help major industry players decarbonize their processes.”
By storing and transmitting heat energy in the form of clean steam, MGA Thermal aims to provide sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel-dependent processes and complement current renewable solutions with behind-the-meter options to capture off-peak energy and optimize energy efficiency.
The thermal energy storage steam transmission technology consists of small particles of alloy embedded in it graphite-based blocks enclosed in a completely isolated system. Electric heating elements superheat the alloy to an operating temperature of 400-700℃, while the graphite matrix contains the molten alloy.
Heat storage for hours and even days
The blocks store heat for periods ranging from hours to days with minimal energy loss. Heat exchangers use a transfer gas to absorb heat from the MGA blocks, with the heated gas or liquid suitable for industrial heat applications or to drive a steam turbine to generate electricity.
It is hoped the protester will submit an application industrial process heatingcapturing waste heat and for use in enhancing medium to long-term grid-scale electricity generation from renewable energy sources.
Data from the demonstrator will cover charge and discharge behavior, fluid dynamics and temperature distributions, and will validate the effectiveness of medium to long term thermal storage in a practical system.
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