Swedish aluminum energy storage start-up Azelio will install a ‘verification project’ showcasing its thermal storage technology by the end of next month in Masdar City in the emirate of Abu Dhabi.
A press release issued by the Swedish company today revealed the project is on track for completion this quarter after Azelio recently signed a memorandum of understanding with the ALEC Energy solar business owned by the Investment Corporation of Dubai sovereign wealth fund for the emirate.
Azelio’s technology consists of using electricity – from solar in Masdar City – to heat recycled aluminum to 600 degrees Celsius. The energy stored in the aluminum is transferred to a Stirling engine – which generates mechanical motion from the heat-driven compression and expansion of a gas such as air – using a heat transfer fluid to meet demand.
The Swedish company said the Masdar City project follows the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding between the partners relating to the development of 49 MW of Azelio’s thermal storage tech up to 2025.
Masdar City has been developed by the state-owned renewable energy company of the emirate of Abu Dhabi and Masdar will be part of the pilot project along with Abu Dhabi-based Khalifa University, according to Azelio.
Yousef Baselaib, executive director of sustainable real estate at Masdar said: “As Abu Dhabi’s home of innovation and R&D, Masdar City is proud to be the location for this pilot project that has the potential to improve battery storage capability for renewable energy projects. The success of this project could help aid a sustainable recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic and advance the energy transition around the world.”
The aluminum storage system developed by Azelio has already featured at the Noor Ouarzazate solar field in Morocco, which features 70 MW of PV capacity alongside a 510 MW concentrating solar power facility.
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I would urge pvmagazine to provide THE KW/MW (In/hr)/KWhr/MWhr (Storage)/KW/MW (Out/hr)Nightime Rating.
[A large KW/MW Storage Facility could be much smaller/cheaper than a Lower one but with a much larger Storage KWhr/MWhr].
Actually… since this a Energy Storage Facility the KWhr/MWhr is a much better indicator of this Facility.
Thanks for the feedback Ajay. In this instance we have reported the figure provided by Azelio, which was merely in MW capacity.