ZAE Bayern

September 19, 2020
Thermal storage for flexible sector integration

In his keynote speech at Eurosun 2020, Dr Andreas Hauer talked about the different roles that heat storage could play as part of a whole systems approach to energy policy. Thermal energy storage, or TES, can reduce energy consumers’ dependence on volatile heat sources and align heat with...
January 8, 2020
In search of cost-effective, advanced PCMs

Salt hydrates are the most interesting phase change material in the low-temperature range of up to 150 °C. Their volume-related enthalpy at melting is much higher than the enthalpy of paraffins and sugar alcohols (see the chart above) and they are comparatively inexpensive. This is why the...
August 30, 2016
IEA SHC: Coordinating Thermal Energy Storage Research Worldwide

The key to the decarbonisation of the energy sector is new compact storage technology: It will require much R&D to develop market-ready products based on new storage designs with phase change and thermochemical materials (PCMs and TCMs). One strategy is to combine resources within...
September 25, 2015
IEA SHC Task 42: Latent Heat Storage Has Huge Potential in the Long Run

In their position paper published in August 2015, the scientists of IEA SHC Task 42 (Compact Thermal Energy Storage) summed up the key results of their work between 2009 and 2015. Operating agent Matthias Rommel sees huge potential for latent heat and...
February 3, 2014
Germany: Additional Support for Small Solar Cooling Systems

Since January 2014, companies have been able to receive grants for their thermal-driven sorption cooling systems with a cooling power between 5 kW and 500 kW from the programme for commercial cooling technology in Germany. Until 2013, the minimum cooling power for the programme had been 50...
February 4, 2013
Germany: Vacuum Super Insulation Reduces Heat Losses at Long-term Storage

The vacuum super insulation (VSI) by German manufacturer Hummelsberger ensures minimum heat losses when storing solar heat over long periods. This is especially interesting to solar space heating and domestic hot water with a high solar fraction, but also to industrial process heat at...