Electrification of Industrial Processes with Sulfur Electric Thermal Storage
In this project, Element 16 technologies proposes to solve this problem and enable electrification of industrial processes through integration of a low-cost and dispatchable sulfur electric thermal storage (SETS) to renewable energy such as solar
Element 16 Technologies, Inc
Recipient
Glendale, CA
Recipient Location
25th
Senate District
52nd
Assembly District
$755,960
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
In 2024, Element 16 completed installation and integration of all equipment with sulfur TES for system testing and demonstration. The project team is now conducting performance testing of the system for various operation modes and collecting data from the lab prototype for performance characterization. The outcome of this testing will provide critical data for technoeconomic modeling tool validation. In 2025, the project team will complete documentation of the testing, complete the technoeconomic analysis and submit the final report.
The Issue
In California, process heating accounts for approximately 85% of industrial energy use, which is primarily provided by fossil fuel combustion and contributes to roughly one-fourth of the state’s greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). As the prices of renewable electricity such as solar PV, wind, and electric equipment continue to drop, industrial electrification to meet the demand for heat offers cost-saving and GHG-emission-reduction opportunities. Electrification of industrial processes does not require a fundamental change in the industrial process setup, but rather a replacement of a piece of equipment, such as a boiler, running on conventional fuel with a piece of electric heating equipment. Nevertheless, the primary challenge with the adoption of renewables is intermittency and fluctuating generation that reduces its capacity factor, decreases its reliability to supply stable, inexpensive, and on-demand heat, and increases the levelized cost of energy, which can be addressed through the development of a low-cost and dispatchable thermal energy storage.
Project Innovation
The project aims to enable the electrification of industrial processes using renewable energy such as solar PV-assisted electrotechnology integrated with low-cost sulfur electric thermal energy storage. The proposed research and development activities and pilot testing will validate the capability of molten sulfur thermal electric storage to store electricity and discharge heat in the temperature range of 120 to 250 degrees Celsius for various industrial applications including process heat, cooling, and electricity generation.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
Element 16 technologies propose to solve this problem and enable the electrification of industrial processes through the integration of a low-cost and dispatchable sulfur electric thermal storage with renewable energy such as solar photovoltaic-assisted electrotechnology, both directly integrated and charging from the electric grid to support the “duck curve”. Sulfur is an incredibly cheap commodity (since it is a byproduct of oil refining) and the average price is $80/ton (sulfur is 14-16 times less than molten salt). Sulfur costs 40-80 $/ton, which is very cheap compared to the 1,000-2,000 $/ton for molten salts – the existing solution. Our product leverages sulfur’s low cost and patented single-tank heat storage design to produce high-quality process steam. Sulfur has a lower freezing point than molten salts, and attractive energy capacity and thermal transport properties, which combine to make SETS the best solution for efficient and inexpensive energy storage technology. The proposed concept will increase system resiliency to provide on-demand/flexible heat supply to meet the individual requirements of the industrial process and achieve lower levelized cost from solar PV thus increasing the share of renewable energy and reducing the CO2 footprint of industrial processes.
Reliability
This Agreement will result in the ratepayer benefits of greater reliability, lower costs and increased safety by reducing fuel consumption and lowering the amount of GHG emissions. By capturing excess renewable energy generation for later reuse, SETS reduces or avoids the curtailment of renewable energy and displace the use of fossil fuels to generate electricity or process heat.
Key Project Members
Hamarz Aryafar
Parker Wells
