Solar underground concrete thermal storage

What is the cost of thermal energy storage in concrete?

At this temperature, the unit cost of energy stored in concrete (the thermal energy storage medium) is estimated at $0.88–$1.00/kW h thermal. These concrete mixtures, used as a thermal energy storage medium, can potentially change solar electric power output allowing production through periods of low to no insolation at lower unit costs. 1.

Why is concrete a thermal energy storage medium?

This enables it to act as a thermal energy storage medium, where excess thermal energy can be captured and released when needed to balance energy supply and demand. Concrete's thermal mass also contributes to energy efficiency in buildings by providing thermal inertia, helping to regulate indoor temperatures and reduce heating and cooling loads.

Are concrete walls a good solution for thermal energy storage?

Concrete solutions for thermal energy storage are usually based on sensible heat transfer and thermal inertia. Phase Change Materials (PCM) incorporated in concrete wall have been widely investigated in the aim of improving building energy performance.

Can thermal energy storage in concrete be economically feasible?

When conducting an economic feasibility and cost analysis of thermal energy storage (TES) in concrete, various aspects need to be considered. One of the primary factors is the assessment of initial investment costs.

What is thermal energy storage?

Thermal energy storage (TES) offers a promising solution to address energy management, sustainability and renewable energy integration challenges. TES efficiently captures and stores excess thermal energy produced during periods of low demand or high renewable energy generation, effectively balancing energy supply and demand.

How stable is solid-media thermal energy storage for solar thermal power plants?

In second position, with 85 citations, Laing et al. (2012) published “High-temperature solid-media thermal energy storage for solar thermal power plants”. The authors of this paper experimentally validated long term stability of concrete module from 200 °C to 400 °C, and at laboratory scale up to 500 °C under thermal cycling conditions.