Thermal batteries store surplus and low-cost ​clean​ electricity as high-temperature heat and deliver it back as industrial process heat or electricity on demand​ or around-the-clock​. Using insulated ​carbon​ blocks, ceramic materials or metal-based media heated to several hundred or thousand​s of​ degrees Celsius, these systems convert variable power into a stable, dispatchable energy resource. Thermal energy storage can retain heat for hours to days and, in some configurations, significantly longer periods, providing long-duration flexibility for industrial ​users, data centers, ​and power systems.[1]

As renewable penetration increases, grid operators face rising curtailment and volatility, while industrial heat users struggle to decarbonize processes that rely on high temperatures​ or require 24/7 operation​.. Thermal batteries address both challenges: they absorb electricity during low-price or oversupply periods, shift demand away from congested hours and deliver clean heat or, where configured, electricity. Modular, factory-built designs can reduce installation effort and avoid the need for new transmission infrastructure, enabling deployment at industrial facilities and other large energy users.[2,3]

Main outcomes of the solution

• Sustainability: Thermal batteries support industrial decarbonization by replacing fossil-fuel heat and electricity with high-temperature energy stored from renewable sources; they also increase utilization of clean power by absorbing surplus renewable electricity that would otherwise be curtailed. 
• Reliability & Flexibility: Thermal batteries improve system stability by charging during low-demand periods and delivering controllable heat or electricity when needed, reducing pressure on congested grids, ensuring a steady supply of high-temperature energy for industrial users​, and enabling better utilization of existing grid infrastructure—lowering energy costs for all ratepayers​. 
• Business Value: Thermal batteries reduce ​​manufacturing ​​operating costs by enabling ​​factories, data centers, and other ​​companies to rely on low-priced renewable electricity instead of volatile fossil-fuel inputs; modular construction and predictable operating profiles support long-term cost savings. 

Key deployment and scaling factors

1. Integrate thermal storage with renewable or low-cost electricity supply to ensure charging occurs during low-value grid periods and discharging meets process heat or electricity needs. 
2. Ensure compatibility with industrial temperature requirements, including retrofits for steam, hot air or direct high-temperature applications depending on the storage medium and heat-delivery method. 
3. Use modular, factory-built units that can be transported, installed and scaled rapidly across multiple sites without extensive civil works or transmission upgrades. 
4. Implement controls and forecasting tools to optimize charge–discharge cycles, minimize operating costs and maximize the use of surplus renewable electricity. 
5. Coordinate with utility and grid operators to reduce congestion, access demand-shifting incentives, ensure accurate transmission cost allocation, and access or pass through wholesale market costs. 
6. Assess durability and cycling performance of high-temperature materials to ensure long-term reliability in industrial applications. 

Case Study

Antora Energy (2023), USA

Antora Energy manufactures modular thermal batteries that convert low-cost electricity into 24/7 high-temperature heat and electricity. The systems use solid carbon-based thermal blocks heated to very high temperatures and can discharge energy either as industrial heat or through thermophotovoltaic (TPV) generators for electricity production. Antora’s first full-scale installation, deployed in 2023 in Fresno, California, has surpassed 10,000 operating hours, demonstrating reliable long-duration storage and continuous heat delivery.  

By charging during low-value, high-generation periods and discharging around-the-clock, this technology helps industrial users ensure 24/7 reliability, avoid peak grid congestion and lower operating costs. According to company reports, Antora now produces gigawatt-hours of thermal-storage capacity annually at its San Jose factory, one of the first dedicated thermal-battery manufacturing facilities. The company is installing its first large commercial project - a multi-day, multi-gigawatt-hour installation - at a major industrial site in the U.S. Midwest.[4,5]

References:

1. Thermal Energy Storage I IEA 
2. Industrial Thermal Batteries I Energy Innovation Policy & Technology (July 2023) 
3. Catalysing the Global Opportunity for Electrothermal Energy Storage I Systemiq (February 2024) 
4. Clean Energy 101: Thermal Batteries I Rocky Mountain Institute (February 2025) 
5. Information provided to World Economic Forum I Antora Energy (November 2025)