Hardware Podcasts

138. How Thermal Batteries Will Scale Sustainable Energy ☀️🔋

The Next Byte Podcast · 5 Sept 2023 · 24m

What this episode covers

Hosts Daniel and For Bode discuss Antora Energy, a startup founded by MIT alumni Kearns and Beerman, which uses thermal batteries to solve renewable energy intermittency. The technology stores excess solar and wind power as heat in carbon blocks and converts it back to electricity using thermal photovoltaics, offering a longer-lasting and more recyclable alternative to chemical batteries. The hosts highlight the company's recent Series A funding, new manufacturing plant, and upcoming industrial projects targeting the chemical and food sectors.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Antora Energy, Medley
Products
Tesla Powerwall, Impossible Burger
Also
MIT

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Hardware to Save a Planet · 37m

    Decarbonizing Heavy Industry: Antora Energy’s 2400°C Thermal Batteries

    Nehali Jain, Chief of Staff at Antora Energy, explains how the company uses thermal batteries to store renewable electricity as heat in carbon blocks reaching 2,400°C for decarbonizing heavy industry. She details the choice of abundant carbon for its high energy density and safety, the modular design of the 'Heat Core' product, and the company's 'heat as a service' business model. Jain discusses the transition from pilot deployments to serial production and the strategic focus on solving industrial intermittency with cost-effective thermal storage.

    Energy & climate techMaterials & manufacturing processes
    6 chapters

  • Catalyst · 46m

    Solving the conundrum of industrial heat

    John O'Donnell, co-founder and CEO of Rondo Energy, explains how thermal storage can decarbonize industrial heat by bridging the gap between intermittent renewable electricity and the continuous, high-temperature energy required by factories. He details the economic and technical challenges of industrial processes, noting that while direct electrification is possible, it is often insufficient for 24/7 operations without storage. O'Donnell highlights Rondo's use of solid-state thermal storage to achieve over 95% efficiency, enabling facilities to leverage cheap, intermittent wind and solar power for continuous production. The conversation also explores the emerging trend of industrial grid defection, where facilities build behind-the-meter renewables to avoid rising transmission costs and secure low-cost energy.

    Energy & climate techMaterials & manufacturing processes
    6 chapters

  • Hardware to Save a Planet · 44m

    Decarbonizing Industrial Heat with John O’Donnell, CEO at Rondo Energy

    John O’Donnell, CEO of Rondo Energy, explains how his company uses electric thermal energy storage to decarbonize industrial heat, a sector responsible for 74% of industrial energy use. He details the Rondo Heat Battery, which stores heat in brick using resistive elements to deliver continuous high-temperature steam or air, offering a cheaper alternative to hydrogen for near-term decarbonization. O’Donnell discusses the company's $22 million Series A, its 'heat as a service' business model, and the strategic advantage of using abundant, low-cost materials like clay compared to exotic minerals required by other storage technologies.

    Energy & climate techMaterials & manufacturing processes
    8 chapters

  • How I Built This · 35m

    Unlocking the renewable energy revolution with Ramya Swaminathan of Malta Inc.

    Ramya Swaminathan, CEO of Malta Inc., explains how her company uses molten salt to provide low-cost, long-duration energy storage for the grid, spinning out of Google X in 2018. She details the technical advantages of thermal storage over lithium-ion batteries, specifically regarding scalability and supply chain security, and discusses the company's transition from pilot validation to commercial deployment. Swaminathan also reflects on her previous ventures in hydrokinetic power and the challenges of integrating renewable energy into the existing US grid infrastructure.

    Energy & climate techMaterials & manufacturing processes
    6 chapters

  • Hardware to Save a Planet · 45m

    Decarbonizing Heating and Housing Spaces: A Conversation with Jane Melia, Co-Founder and CEO of Harvest

    Dr. Jane Melia, Co-Founder and CEO of Harvest Thermal, explains how their system decarbonizes home heating by combining a heat pump with a thermal battery to shift energy use to times of high solar availability. She details the 'Harvest Pod' control unit, which manages the heat pump, tank, and distribution to optimize for cost and emissions, achieving up to 90% carbon reduction compared to gas. Melia discusses the company's journey from a personal prototype in 2018 to commercial deployment, highlighting partnerships with contractors and BlocPower, and the importance of load shifting for grid stability.

    Energy & climate techMechanical engineering
    8 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by The Next Byte Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.