Malta has developed a long-duration energy storage solution leveraging steam-based heat pump technology that offers a cost- and energy-efficient, flexible, and integration-ready solution to utility and industrial clients.
What type of energy storage system is used in Malta?
Clean, co-generated steam is used for district heating or industrial use. Malta's electro-thermal energy storage system is composed using components with a long and proven record in the field. Molten salt is the most mature technology used in thermal storage.
Malta's electro-thermal energy storage system is built upon well-established principles in thermodynamics. When charging (taking electricity from the grid) the system converts electricity to heat, in molten salt, and as cold in a chilled liquid. In these forms, this energy can be efficiently stored for long durations.
Malta's innovative thermo-electric energy storage system represents a flexible, low-cost, and expandable utility-scale solution for storing energy over long durations at high efficiency. The system is comprised of conventional components and abundant raw materials – steel, air, salt, and commodity liquids.
When discharging (injecting electricity into the grid) the system operates as a heat engine, combining the stored heat and cold together to generate electricity. Because a heat engine is driven by a change in temperature (T) the extraction of cold as well as heat makes the Malta system more efficient than other technologies.