Overview
Caldera Warmstone; a heat battery that stores renewable energy for weeks at a time to help meet demand.
With the UK on a mission to reduce – or even eliminate – its reliance on fossil fuels, an increasing amount of renewable energy solutions, including wind power and solar power, are being introduced. However, while renewables are certainly the most sustainable option for our planet, they do come with one significant drawback: they are not consistent, reliable sources of energy, and are largely weather dependent.
For renewables to become an everyday part of our lives, new intelligent energy storage systems must be developed. UK manufacturing firm Caldera is on the case, having recently completed domestic trials of the innovative Caldera Warmstone; a smart heat battery that company COO Guy Winstanley describes as a ‘thermos’ for energy. The Caldera Warmstone takes renewable solar and wind energy from the grid, storing 100kWh as heat for up to 23 days. It delivers heat on an as-needed basis to both central heating systems and hot water supplies in the absence of real-time energy.
With help from the Sustainable Innovation Fund, the Caldera team was able to prepare for nationwide trials of the Caldera Warmstone. The funding was used to improve the safety of the unit for domestic installation, and develop software that would allow for the remote monitoring and control of the units. Following the successful trial, it has been reported that multiple households were able to remove their gas boilers completely.
