Replace Natural Gas with Bricks | Electrified Thermal Solutions

Decarbonizing Industry: The Potential of Electrified Bricks

Transitioning away from fossil fuels presents straightforward solutions for certain sectors. For instance, residential heating can be shifted to heat pumps, and vehicles can adopt battery-electric powertrains. However, numerous industries, including cement production and steelmaking, face significant challenges in replacing the high-intensity heating provided by fossil fuels.

A Novel Approach to Thermal Energy Storage

Dan Stack believes a solution may lie within a common building material: the brick.

For the past ten years, Stack has dedicated his efforts to developing bricks capable of converting electricity into heat and retaining it for extended periods. Working alongside his team at Electrified Thermal Solutions – where he serves as co-founder and CEO – he has successfully modified standard fire bricks used in industries like glassmaking.

These altered bricks now function as electrical conductors. By simply stacking them, they can efficiently transform electrical current into substantial heat.

Demonstration and Scalability

Currently, the company operates a demonstration unit approximately the size of an elevator. Data gathered from this pilot project is being utilized to prepare for the deployment of a larger, commercially viable system.

“We’ve accumulated thousands of operational hours,” Stack shared with TechCrunch. Due to their foundation in durable fire bricks, ETS’s thermal storage units are projected to deliver heat for many years. “These bricks are routinely exposed to temperatures exceeding 1,700 Celsius for decades.”

Cost Competitiveness and Grid Flexibility

ETS intends to operate its Joule Hive thermal batteries continuously – recognizing that “most industrial processes require heat on a 24/7/365 basis,” Stack explained. However, achieving cost parity with natural gas necessitates charging the bricks during periods of low electricity prices, such as times of surplus wind or solar power.

“The ability to rapidly absorb energy – within a few hours – is a significant advantage,” he noted. This allows businesses to capitalize not only on reduced energy costs but also on incentives offered by grid operators for flexible electricity consumption.

Economic Viability and Expanding Applications

In regions with abundant renewable energy sources and high natural gas prices, “we are able to demonstrate a return on investment for these systems compared to current natural gas usage,” Stack stated. “We are observing increasing indicators that suggest we can directly compete with fossil fuels in a growing number of locations.”

Initially, ETS is focusing on industries with substantial heat demands but not requiring the most extreme temperatures. This includes applications like drying processes, steam generation, and cement calcination.

Looking ahead, Stack anticipates the technology will reach 1,800 degrees C, opening doors to industries like steelmaking. Ultimately, the stored heat could even be used to power turbines in natural gas power plants, effectively displacing fossil fuel consumption.

Funding and Future Milestones

The startup plans to commission its commercial-scale demonstration unit in mid-2025. To facilitate this, ETS – a runner-up in TechCrunch Disrupt’s 2023 Startup Battlefield – has secured $19 million in a pre-Series A funding round, as exclusively reported to TechCrunch.

Investors in this round include Clean Energy Ventures, Clean Energy Venture Group, EDP Ventures, GVP Climate, Holcim Maqer Ventures, Mass Ventures, Starlight Ventures, TechEnergy Ventures, Tupras Ventures, and Vale Ventures.