High-temperature thermochemical heat storage

HERCULES introduces a new strategy for thermal energy storage of renewable energy via a hybrid of thermochemical and sensible heat storage using porous media made of redox metal oxides and electric heating elements. The heating elements use electricity at low electricity rates or at excess electricity to heat the storage block to the oxidation temperature of the metal. If necessary, the system can then transfer its to a controlled airflow that passes through the porous oxide block that initiated the oxidation of the reduced metal oxide. The reduction process is an exothermic process and therefore a hot air stream is produced during this step which can be used to provide high temperature heat for industrial processes. The project will be carried out by an interdisciplinary consortium consisting of leading research centers, universities, innovative SMEs and large companies including ancillary service providers and technical end-users. 

RISE leads the work on sustainability aspects in collaboration with all partners. RISE carries out life cycle (LCA) and technical-economic analysis (TEA) to evaluate the environmental and economic aspects of the technology.