IEA SHC Task 58

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...
January 8, 2020
Compact thermal energy storage: research in cycles

Research into compact thermal energy storage is made difficult by the fact that the performance of storage materials depends significantly on their intended purpose. For example, storage tanks that are integrated into space heating systems are made of materials different from those used to...
October 30, 2019
Encouraging faster materials development for compact storage

Research and industry experts in thermochemical storage materials are invited to participate in a workshop that will take place on 11 and 12 November in Erlangen, Germany. The objective of the event will be to outline a road map to a Thermal Energy Storage Materials Acceleration...
October 22, 2018
Online database on advanced PCMs

Compared to water, phase change materials (PCMs) offer more capacity to store heat in tanks. As a consequence, researchers in all corners of the world have been developing new materials and their properties. To ensure the employment of a shared methodology and the use of equivalent terms to...
October 15, 2018
“Excellent material for sorption-based solar energy storage”

Microporous hydrophilic substances such as zeolites are recognised as promising materials for very efficient energy storage. Solar thermal systems are used to dry the material and store all of the thermal energy inside without losses until water is returned into the structure to release...
July 18, 2017
IEA SHC Task 58: “We will need new and innovate designs for heat and mass exchangers”

Thermochemical materials (TCMs) used in storage tanks show higher heat capacities than water and smaller losses over time. They are crucial to an increase in solar use among consumers and the storage of summer heat for the winter season. However, they are also more complex than their water-...