Delhi, March 3, 2023: A consortium of 20 partners, from among technology developers, research universities, and energy system integrators is demonstrating use of innovative ‘thermal energy storage’ materials for heating and cooling both in buildings in the European Union. Thermal energy storage materials are renewable sources of energy, which also increase energy efficiency of buildings, make the buildings electrical-grid flexible and can be easily integrated in buildings. This technology is being demonstrated at three climatically and usage diverse sites: one single-family building and two multi-family buildings in Spain and Sweden. It will be used for both heating and cooling, thanks to the reversible operation of the thermochemical process being used.
This technology can reduce net energy consumption in buildings by 20 to 43 per cent through efficient use of energy and reduced dissipation, and mitigate carbon-dioxide emissions by upto 30 per cent. This will also have a direct impact in reducing energy costs for end-users by 10 to 15 per cent. The materials being used for thermal energy storage cover the needs of short-duration (daily) and long-duration (multi-weekly) storage of energy for space heating, hot tap water, as well as cooling. The initiative aims to deploy this technology in at least 1,000 such buildings, both retrofitted and new construction, by 2030.
The short-duration energy storage is based on the principle of ‘phase change materials’, and is being supplied by Pluss Advanced Technologies. An example of a phase change material is water, which changes phase from liquid to solid at 0°C. When solidified water is put in a glass at room temperature, it absorbs heat and changes its phase again while cooling the glass. This phenomenon is repeatable over a substantial number of cycles, and can be used to maintain a constant temperature without the need for constant electricity.
The consortium partners for this initiative include the following:
- i-TES, Italy. It develops and produces innovative heat batteries for a new way to use thermal energy.
- Grid Singularity, Portugal. Facilitates ‘energy exchange’ among buildings, for economic, social and environmental benefits to communities.
- Ubitech Energy, Belgium. It aims at the design and commercialization of innovative smart energy projects, including smart grids and renewables integration.
- Veolia, France. Autility company with expertise in sustainable buildings and with a track record of multidisciplinary EU R&D project management.
- Sorption Technologies, Germany. It provides energy systems for commercial and industrial applications.
- Pluss Advanced Technologies, Netherlands/India. It has developed innovative phase change materials-based energy storage, which is being used in controlling temperature for buildings, cold chain etc.
- NanoPhos, Greece. It provides materials for building and construction.
- Nazionale Delle Ricerche (National Research Council), Italy
- University of Birmingham, UK. A research focused university.
- University of Lleida, Spain. A research focused university.
- PoliTO, Italy. A research focused university.
The technologies have been developed with in-built flexibility in installation, in order to fit the space requirements in different buildings, from small installations like individual apartments to centralized building-management-system operated buildings, and enable easy integration with legacy heating and cooling systems.
Samit Jain, Managing Director, Pluss Advanced Technologies said, “This pioneering initiative of using renewable energy storage for heating and cooling of buildings will demonstrate use of renewable energy for sustainable development as well as for reducing energy bills for consumers while providing a comfortable indoor environment. The ‘phase change materials’ based energy storage from Pluss Advanced Technologies is recyclable, making the latent storage technology even more attractive from life-cycle perspective, long-term stability and reduced cost. This project also puts Pluss and India on the global map for research, innovation and demonstration of energy transition using thermal energy storage.”
About Pluss Advanced Technologies
Founded in 1994, Pluss Advanced Technologies started with R&D and manufacturing of specialized polymers. In 2007 Pluss commenced development in the field of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) technology. In 2012, the company raised equity funds from Tata Capital Innovations Funds and expanded R&D, developed, and commercialized first of its kind temperature control solutions using proprietary materials, addressing unmet need of temperature control across refrigeration, cold storage, cold-chain logistics, HVAC, and healthcare sectors. The company today has a global presence with its own subsidiary in the Netherlands. Pluss has received several awards and recognitions, including the National Technology Day award from Government of India twice, in 2017 and 2021; and the CII Innovation award twice, in 2014 and 2017. It has also received the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Innovators under 35 award, in 2016 and 2017. Since 2021, Pluss has become a subsidiary of Carborundum Universal Limited (CUMI), a Murugappa Group company. Please also visit www.pluss.co.in
