MGA Thermal and Knode have announced significant progress on a planned 180 MWh industrial-scale electro-thermal energy storage( ETES) project in Western Australia, designed to provide renewable heat for industrial processes. The project has successfully completed its pre-feasibility phase in collaboration with Tronox, GHD and a global mining company. The study found that MGA Thermal’ s ETES technology could be economically competitive with conventional fossil-fuel technologies at industrial scale while providing a flexible solution for electrifying high-temperature process heat. The proposed system is designed to deliver up to 20 tonnes of steam per hour to an industrial site and connect to Western Australia’ s |
South West Interconnected System( SWIS). By storing renewable energy and dispatching heat when required, the project could help industrial operators reduce emissions, energy costs and dependence on natural gas while supporting electricity network load shifting. The initiative targets sectors such as mineral processing, refining, chemical production, food and beverage and materials manufacturing, where continuous high-temperature heat remains difficult to decarbonise. Knode CEO Chris Nelson said engaging multiple industrial stakeholders during development could help reduce technology and commercial risks and accelerate future deployment. MGA Thermal CEO Mark Croudace described the project as a major |
step toward demonstrating the company’ s technology for hightemperature industrial applications. The project is now preparing to enter the Front-End Engineering Design( FEED) phase. Construction |
is targeted to begin in 2027, with operations expected to commence in late 2028. Once completed, the facility is expected to become MGA Thermal’ s first commercial-scale industrial heat deployment. |
Babcock & Wilcox( B & W) has signed an agreement with Siemens Energy to commence work on 20 Siemens Energy steam turbine generator sets totaling 1 gigawatt( GW) of generating capacity for use in its |
FastPower SM program for data center projects. This agreement is in addition to B & W’ s previously announced turbine order.“ As demand for dependable, large-scale power generation continues to accelerate, |
particularly from AI data center customers, we are strengthening our collaboration with Siemens Energy through this agreement,” said Brandy Johnson, Chief Technology Officer, B & W.“ This order secures 1 GW of capacity and further positions us to deliver reliable, high-capacity energy solutions on the accelerated timelines our customers require.”“ B & W is focused on helping customers meet one of today’ s most critical challenges: bringing reliable power online as quickly as possible,” Johnson said.“ By combining our proven generation technologies, deep engineering expertise and decades of project execution experience, we are uniquely positioned to deliver fast-track energy solutions that support rapidly growing power demands. With a strong pipeline of |
near-term data center and power generation opportunities, we are positioned to help customers accelerate project schedules while maintaining the reliability and performance they require.”“ Siemens Energy’ s agreement with Babcock & Wilcox to commence work on these steam turbine generator sets reflects a broader trend we are currently seeing in the U. S. market: growing demand for reliable, affordable, and resilient energy infrastructure,” said Tobias Panse, Senior Vice President of Steam Turbines and Generators for Siemens Energy.“ Siemens Energy is meeting this moment with the world’ s most efficient steam turbine technology, strong execution power, and trusted, long-lasting partnerships with our customers.” |
The European CHESTER project is demonstrating how hightemperature heat pumps( HTHPs) and thermal energy storage can help integrate renewable energy while supporting the decarbonization of industrial and district heating systems. CHESTER, short for Compressed Heat Energy Storage for Energy from Renewable sources, is developing a flexible power-toheat-to-power system known as CHEST. The technology combines a high-temperature heat pump, high-temperature thermal energy storage, an Organic Rankine Cycle, |
and advanced energy management systems. The system uses surplus renewable electricity to operate the heat pump, upgrading low-temperature waste heat into high-temperature energy. The heat is stored using phase-change materials and can later be converted back into electricity through the Organic Rankine Cycle or supplied as useful heat. A key component of the project is a 10 kWe HTHP prototype using low-GWP R1233zd( E) refrigerant. Testing demonstrated heat-source temperatures of 70 ° C to 95 ° C and |
outlet temperatures of up to 146 ° C, with coefficient of performance values ranging from 3 to 7. Heating capacity reached approximately 68.2 kW. SWEP contributed brazed-plate heat exchangers for the prototype, serving as evaporators, condensers, and sub-coolers. The compact units supported the system’ s two-phase heat-transfer requirements and demonstrated reliable performance during testing. The project highlights the potential of HTHPs to recover waste heat, produce industrial steam and improve grid flexibility. By |
connecting renewable electricity, thermal storage and heat demand, CHESTER offers a potential pathway toward more efficient and flexible European energy systems. |