The University of Birmingham hosted the first UK Thermal Energy Storage Workshop on Wednesday 10 – Thursday 11 June 2015.
The workshop brought together UK and international leading experts from research and industry to explore technical developments and applications, research and industrial needs in thermal energy storage research.
The workshop explored the following key themes:
- Thermal energy storage materials
- Thermal energy storage devices
- Thermal energy storage systems and applications
The Workshop was initiated and chaired by Professor Yulong Ding, Director of the Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage, University of Birmingham. The keynote speakers included: Professor Phil Eames, Loughborough University, Dr James Bowers, Scottish and Southern Energy, UK, Mr Dirk Behrens of EON, Germany, Professor Seamus Garvey, University of Nottingham, Dr Alexander White, University of Cambridge, Professor Neil Hewitt, University of Ulster, and Professor Tasso Karayiannis, Brunel University.
Following the workshop, delegates had a tour of the cryogenic laboratories on campus, including the new state of the art liquid air energy storage pilot plant.
Professor Yulong Ding, Director of the Birmingham Energy Institute, said:
New storage technologies could transform how energy is supplied and used, helping to make future energy systems more efficient and reliable, lower carbon and more affordable. However, innovation in technology and policy is needed to release its value. The Birmingham Centre for Energy Storage integrates the full research agenda to accelerate the development and depoloyment of energy storage technologies. Thermal energy storage is based on heating a storage medium so the thermal energy in the system can be used at a later time. Our research at the University helps to provide a balance between the energy demand and supply, and utilise waste heat generated in various applications, including energy production, conversion processes and in the process industry.
To conclude the workshop, delegates attended Professor Yulong Ding’s Inaugural Lecture titled ‘The Energy Dice – exploring efficient transformation, transport, storage and application of thermal energy’. In this lecture, Professor Ding discussed conversion mechanisms and methods between different forms of energy as a background to his own work on energy conversion process.