Batteries won’t cut it – we need solar thermal technology to get us through the night
Australia’s transition to renewables is gathering speed, but there’s a looming problem with storage. We will need much more long-duration storage to get us through the night, once the coal and fossil gas exit the system.
We also need to find new and better ways to create heat for industrial processes. Renewables can supply much of that heat during the day, but energy storage will be required to meet the industry’s night-time heat needs.
Solar thermal technology has the potential to provide both long-duration storage and industrial heat, but it has been largely overlooked in the Australian context. That is about to change.
the CSIRO Renewable Energy Storage Roadmap identifying a mix of technologies will be required, across sectors, to meet Australia’s energy storage needs, particularly at night. Solar thermal will be an important part of the mix.
Batteries alone won’t cut it. They’re good for short-duration storage, ranging