On August 2, 2024, the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA) hosted the Joint Program on Energy Storage (JP SP3) Meeting, focusing on Thermal Energy Storage (TES). This online event gathered leading experts and researchers from across Europe to discuss the latest advancements and strategies in thermal energy storage, an essential component of the energy transition.
Event Overview
The EERA JP SP3 Meeting brought together a diverse group of participants from renowned institutions, including Fraunhofer – Institute for Solar Energy Systems (Germany), Politecnico di Torino (Italy), Università di Pisa (Italy), the German Aerospace Center (DLR), and many others. The meeting served as a platform for exchanging knowledge, aligning research efforts, and setting the course for future collaborations in the field of thermal energy storage.
Key Discussions
The meeting agenda was packed with important topics, including updates on the SET Plan’s Task Force on Clean Heating and Cooling Technologies, current TES databases, and the ongoing efforts of the IEA Task on Compact Thermal Energy Storage. The participants engaged in fruitful discussions on the challenges and opportunities in thermal energy storage, emphasizing the need for innovative solutions to meet the ambitious targets set for 2030.
INTERSTORES Presentation by Dr. Abdulrahman Dahash
A highlight of the event was the presentation by Dr. Abdulrahman Dahash from AIT (Austrian Institute of Technology), who introduced the INTERSTORES project—a groundbreaking initiative aimed at developing cost- and environmentally-efficient seasonal thermal energy storage solutions.
Dr. Dahash’s “INTERSTORES – A Leap in Heat Transition” presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the project’s goals, challenges, and expected outcomes. INTERSTORES aims to demonstrate innovative, large-scale seasonal thermal energy storage technologies that will play a crucial role in decarbonization and ensuring energy security. The project, which unites 14 partners from 9 countries, is focused on two demonstration sites: VECTES in Finland and IN-Campus in Germany. These sites will showcase the potential of large-scale thermal energy storage in real-world applications, combining novel concepts with existing infrastructure to create efficient, cost-effective solutions.
Dr. Dahash also highlighted the interdisciplinary cooperation that underpins INTERSTORES, emphasizing the importance of market acceptance, the re-purposing of existing infrastructure, and the development of improved simulation models and planning methods. The presentation underscored the project’s commitment to addressing the key challenges of space availability, thermal losses, and environmental compatibility.
Moving Forward
The EERA JP SP3 Meeting began a series of monthly exchanges among Europe’s leading TES researchers. The insights and collaborations fostered at this event will undoubtedly contribute to accelerating the development and deployment of advanced thermal energy storage solutions, bringing Europe closer to its energy transition goals.
Stay tuned for more updates on the INTERSTORES project and other innovative developments in the field of thermal energy storage.
