ATE - New Carnot Battery
The transition to a 2050 net-zero carbon economy requires increasing integration of renewable energy sources (RES) into the energy system. This poses a significant challenge in shifting from baseload to intermittent energy generation and impacting energy network stability. Addressing this challenge requires highly flexible, cost-effective, and energy-and-resource-efficient energy storage technologies.
One promising solution is the Carnot Battery technology, which temporarily store electricity in the form of heat, offering a potentially low-cost, site-independent option for medium to large-scale electricity storage. Carnot Batteries present an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional electric batteries and can play a crucial role in mitigating the variability of renewable energy sources, enhancing their share in the energy production mix.
The ‘6.05 ATE - New Carnot battery with intelligent network management’ project is part of the ATE - Agenda para a Transição Energética, and aims to test this type of system in a real environment. The ATE agenda is under the PRR – Plano de Recuperação e Resiliência.
Project purpose
a Carnot Battery in an industrial environment
How does it work?
These batteries operate by converting electricity into thermal exergy, storing the thermal energy in inexpensive media (e.g., rocks, molten salts) for later conversion back to electricity. Additionally, Carnot Batteries open new possibilities for integrating power and thermal energy management. According to the International Energy Agency – Energy Conservation through Energy Storage (IEA-ECES), Carnot Batteries hold substantial promise in advancing energy storage technologies.
Partners' responsibilities
- Capwatt: Responsible for support throughout the project, for dissemination and communication and for carrying out the technical-economic study with a focus on simulating different business models;
- Cátedra Energias Renováveis - Universadade de Évora: Design and installation of the prototype, as well as its commissioning, operation and maintenance.
Activity management and coordination
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Project duration: