GeoCoHort@MDU

2024-04-12

The future of energy storage

On April 12, GeoCoHorT's project manager Valentina Zaccaria participated to a workshop organized by the Energy Evolution Center in Eskilstuna, Sweden (https://www.energyevolutioncenter.se/ External link, opens in new window.) with the theme of energy storage. Valentina shared, among others, some of the outcomes and focal points of the project when it comes to exploiting geothermal resources as a flexible energy storage system. It is clear that our grid needs to improve in flexibility and multiple solutions for energy storage are currently under investigation in all sectors.

Geothermal energy offers a flexible solution since heat can be pumped into the ground when the demand for heat is low or the demand for cooling is high. Not only that, but coupling it with heat pumps, we can take advantage of low electricity prices when production from renewable sources like wind is high, thereby helping stabilizing the grid.

The need for energy storage is critical in Sweden and the rest of EU to ensure an effective transition to a fossil-free society. According to the projections from the Swedish Energy Agency, hydrogen and batteries will play a major role but flexibility introduced by heat pumps and thermal energy storage have also a vital role to play.