The Department for Energy and Climate Change has launched a competition to assess the performance of advanced thermal storage which can be integrated with heat technologies to help balance peak loads to the grid.

DECC are seeking applications to assess the viability of compact heat storage materials as an effective means to mitigate potential strain on the electricity grid in scenarios of increasing loads from low carbon heat technologies, such as heat pumps.

Competition criteria will consider technical performance (relative to water), operating temperature range, cost (capital and operating) and scalability of the storage solutions, amongst other aspects.

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The Department also want to understand the potential of compact advanced heat storage mechanisms as an attractive solution for the domestic sector, for example in addressing spatial constraints for heat storage in UK homes and ensuring comfort and safety.

The competition is open to single companies or organisations from the private, public and third sectors, including charities.

Applicants will be required to demonstrate:

•Energy performance of storage unit compared to water

•Expected life of the installed system

•Degradation of performance over time

•Cost (measured by payback period and to include product cost; maintenance; installation and ancillary equipment required)

•How the system would operate across wider supply chain components

•Scalability (indicate flexibility to enable load shifting over a range of hours)

•Safety

The call will close at 12 noon on August 12. Further information is available from the Technology Strategy Board website.

(NE)