Energy Storage Europe argues that industrial thermal storage can deliver two services from one investment: it can replace part of fossil-fuel heat demand while shifting electricity consumption toward periods with renewable surplus or favourable prices.
The organisation also identifies barriers including grid-connection delays, network charges, limited access to flexibility markets and financing. Those obstacles are most visible in large industrial systems, but the operating principle also matters in smaller installations.
Why heat can be the better storage destination
Heat does not always need to be produced at the moment it is used. A correctly sized fireclay or other thermal store can charge during a useful electricity window and release heat later. That leaves electrochemical battery capacity available for lighting, electronics, motors and other loads that must remain electrical.
Source: Energy Storage Europe · source language: English · published: 2026-06-01. This WodaTherm briefing is an original summary, not a copy of the source article.