Status seminar on thermal energy storage

Abstract

Date: 2-3 November 2006

Location: Freiburg

More energy efficiency for heating and cooling: The status seminar on the theme of "Thermal energy storage" is taking place on 2-3 November 2006 in the solar info center (SIC) in Freiburg, Germany. The presentations will focus on the diverse opportunities for increasing energy efficiency by storing thermal energy.

More details

The conference is being jointly organised by the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

Thermal energy storage systems provide a key for increasing efficiency and thus saving primary energy: the possibilities now range from short-term to long-term storage, whereby processes are used that span from “sensitive” storage using latent thermal storage systems to storage in the form of chemical energy. This makes it possible to eliminate the time gap between the energy supply and demand, as can occur for example with solar thermal applications, and thus reduces the use of conventional energy sources. Energy storage also enables the efficient use of waste heat, for example from conventional or cogeneration power plants. This increases the efficiency when using the fuel sources deployed – whether they be fossil fuels or biomass – and thus reduces the required power plant and output capacity. Storage materials have also become established in the building sector: phase change materials (PCMs), for example, increase the thermal capacity of buildings and ensure a more balanced indoor environment, which particularly prevents overheating in summer.