A Danish energy company called Hyme Energy is launching Molten Salt Storage (MOSS), an energy storage system that uses molten hydroxide salt to store excess clean energy. It's the first project of its kind.
The company has developed a system to utilize excess energy from solar or wind power to heat hydroxide salt, melting it into a molten substance at super-hot temperatures, according to Interesting Engineering.
The molten salt is then stored at a high temperature and saved for a rainy day. Once there's a period of lower clean energy generation, the facility can unleash its stored salty heat as thermal energy that is converted into steam, which can provide electricity.
Hyme Energy hopes to scale the MOSS technology globally for industrial purposes and have it ready for sale by 2026, according to IE.
Storing clean energy is a massively important practice in building a greener world. As we invest in solar and wind power infrastructure, it's vital that we also find ways to store the extra energy that these technologies generate so we can make clean electricity more efficient, thereby driving down energy costs for homeowners and industries alike.
On particularly productive days, many systems cannot use all the power generated by solar panels or wind turbines, so finding efficient ways to store this excess energy is clearly worthwhile.
Other new developments in clean energy storage are using ice, mines, and even chicken fat to store extra clean energy.
"Innovation is strengthened through collaboration," said Ask Emil Løvschall-Jensen, the CEO and co-founder of Hyme Energy, in a press release. "I am extremely proud of the project's partnership and our joint efforts. The green transition is not a solo ride — it is a collective mission, where change-ready users and innovative partners are the key to success."
"We are setting the stage together — not just towards 2030, but also towards a CO2-neutral 2050 — by proving that groundbreaking technologies can change our world towards a more sustainable future," he said.
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