RedoxBlox's breakthrough: Thermochemical tech liberating industry from fossil fuels

This American company's high-temperature energy storage technology, known as Thermochemical Energy Storage (TCES), is specifically designed to aid in the heating of industrial buildings and provide network-scale heat storage.

The energy storage units of RedoxBlox can operate at temperatures up to 1500 degrees Celsius (2732 degrees Fahrenheit) and reach maximum charge within four hours. According to the manufacturer, the device is non-toxic, non-flammable, and fully recyclable. Each RedoxBlox storage module consists of a vessel containing a patented, yet inexpensive and commonly available, metal oxide material.

In its charging phase, renewable energy is used to heat the granules of the said metal oxide to a temperature ranging from 1000 to 1500 degrees Celsius (1832 to 2732 degrees Fahrenheit). This triggers a chemical reaction that enables the release of oxygen and the storage of heat in the form of chemical energy.

The recovery of energy from the atmosphere is achieved by directing a stream of air through the storage module, causing the release of stored heat into that air stream. This heated air can then be utilized for industrial processes or channeled to a gas turbine for electricity generation.

RedoxBlox's solution aims to facilitate the electrification of industrial heat for sectors that traditionally pose challenges to decarbonization. Indicatively, these include the cement, steel, food and beverage industries, and chemical production and refining sectors. Moreover, these low-cost energy warehouses can potentially boost the number of renewable energy installations.

"Our goal is quite simple: to employ electrification and thermochemical energy storage as a competitive, zero-emission alternative to natural gas," stated Joerg Petrasch, the Technical Director of RedoxBlox.