Standard Thermal: Energy Storage 500x Cheaper Than Batteries
The Quick Summary Standard Thermal is the company I’ve been leading for the last ~2 years. The purpose of Standard Thermal is to make energy from solar PV available 24/7/365 at a price that is competitive with US natural gas. Our technology works by storing energy as heat in the least expensive storage material available – large piles of dirt. Co-located solar PV arrays provide energy (as electricity) and are simpler and cheaper than grid-connected solar farms. Electric heating elements embedded in the dirt piles convert electricity to heat. Pipes run through the pile, and fluid flowing through them removes heat to supply the customer. The capital cost, not including the solar PV, is comparable to natural gas storage at less than $0.10/kilowatt-hour thermal and 1000x cheaper than…
