Thermal Batteries Emerge as Key to Decarbonizing Chemical Plants

New technology allows chemical facilities to store renewable energy as heat for later use.

Published on Feb. 9, 2026

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Big chemical plants run on steady, reliable heat from fossil fuels, but the intermittent nature of renewable energy has made it difficult to decarbonize these facilities. Thermal batteries that store renewable energy as heat offer a solution, allowing chemical plants to tap into low-cost renewable electricity when it's abundant and use the stored heat later. Several companies have deployed commercial-scale thermal battery projects at chemical plants and other industrial facilities, with the potential to significantly cut emissions.

Why it matters

The chemical industry is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize due to its reliance on steady, high-heat processes. Thermal batteries provide a way to bridge the gap between the intermittent nature of renewable energy and the 24/7 operation of chemical plants, unlocking significant emissions reductions potential.

The details

Thermal batteries store renewable electricity as heat in well-insulated containers filled with bricks. When renewable energy is abundant and cheap, the batteries charge by heating the bricks. When renewable energy is scarce, the stored heat is used to generate steam or hot air to power the chemical plant's processes. Several companies, including Electrified Thermal Solutions, Rondo Energy, and Calectra, have deployed commercial-scale thermal battery projects at chemical plants, cement factories, and other industrial facilities. These systems can deliver heat at temperatures up to 1,500°C, hot enough to power even the most energy-intensive chemical reactions.

  • In January 2026, Electrified Thermal Solutions commissioned its first 20 MWh commercial-scale thermal battery at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas.
  • In October 2026, Rondo Energy deployed a 100 MWh thermal battery in California to provide steam for an enhanced oil recovery operation.
  • In November 2026, Rondo turned on a 33 MWh thermal battery system at a cement plant in Thailand and announced a deal to install a 100 MWh battery at a Heineken brewery in Portugal.

The players

Electrified Thermal Solutions

A company that develops commercial-scale thermal battery systems, including a 20 MWh unit commissioned in San Antonio, Texas.

Rondo Energy

A firm that has deployed several large-scale thermal battery projects, including a 100 MWh system in California and a 33 MWh system in Thailand.

Calectra

Another company working on thermal battery technology, using conductive ceramics to improve performance.

Juan Camilo Cortés

A senior research associate at Lux Research who studies thermal decarbonization and distributed energy infrastructure.

Daniel Stack

The CEO and co-founder of Electrified Thermal Solutions, who previously defended his PhD thesis on resistive firebricks at MIT.

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What they’re saying

“We sort of wrote the book on this at MIT. Flattening the curves of oxide firebrick materials so that they are in class with existing electric heating systems was the founding achievement of our company.”

— Daniel Stack, CEO and Co-founder, Electrified Thermal Solutions

“Conductive ceramics... it's electrical engineering Disneyland. In metals, the resistance goes up with the temperature. In these things, the resistance falls with temperature until you hit some point, and then it goes up the other way. It's really interesting to manage the electrical engineering, but why would you do it?”

— John O'Donnell, Founder, Rondo Energy

What’s next

Rondo Energy and Eastman Chemical are working to secure new funding for a planned 100 MWh thermal battery installation at a plastics recycling plant in Texas after the Department of Energy rescinded a $375 million grant for the project.

The takeaway

Thermal batteries offer a promising pathway for decarbonizing the chemical industry by allowing plants to tap into low-cost renewable electricity and store the energy as heat for later use. As more commercial-scale projects come online, thermal batteries could become an ordinary part of the industrial landscape, driving down emissions and energy costs.