Docent lecture - Dr. Saman Nimali Gunasekara

Climate change is no longer imminent but is real, and timely and effective energy transition plays a fundamental role for climate mitigation. Energy storage is central for decarbonizing the energy sector, and thus facilitating rigorous exploitation of intermittent renewable energy sources so that fossil fuels can be replaced. Globally today, half of the final energy use goes to heating and cooling, therefore making thermal energy storage (TES) possibly the most crucial energy storage alternative in the energy mix. This seminar presents how TES can play a central role in energy transition for steadfast climate mitigation, serving for both thermal and electrical energy storage functions through flexible sector coupling adaptation. The current state of technology is presented and discussed along the three main types of TES: sensible, latent (with phase change materials PCMs) and thermochemical, and within the three TES design spheres: materials, components (heat exchangers and reactors) and systems. Therein opportunities will be discussed for TES to be optimally exploited for accelerating the energy transition today and looking ahead.