ABB to strengthen technical platform for salt-based energy storage

ABB and Sweden-based, energy-storage company SaltX Technology reported July 1 that they're collaborating on large-scale energy storage installations to offset inconsistencies in renewable energy generation with continuously supplied power. They plan to enable development of a stable, scalable control system for SaltX's EnerStore, a large storage development for the commercialization of nano-coated salt technologies.

SaltX’s technology lets salt store power with a high energy density in a bulk material, which means it could scale to hundreds of megawatt (MW) hours, and become a circular, sustainable energy storage solution for industries such as pulp and paper, metals and manufacturing. The nano-coating, developed by SaltX over 15 years, makes it possible for systems to have a long lifetime, enabling users to energize storage when electricity prices are low, and use the stored energy when prices are high, fulfilling their mission to help society shift to sustainable energy.

ABB is expected to supply the initial pilot with automation and controls, motors and drives, process instrumentation and smart electrification—and has the potential to scale up. Its experience with scalable controls will ensure that EnerStore's platform is optimized for anticipated high demand in the future.

“This collaboration with ABB to enhance our EnerStore with process and control systems, as well as benefit from ABB’s expertise in process optimization, adds tremendous value and credibility to this pilot project,” says Carl-Johan Linér, CEO at SaltX.

Björn Jonsson, hub hmnager for the process industries at ABB, adds: “Our motors, drive systems and automation will complement the unique features of SaltX’s technology that enables long-duration, heat-energy storage with limited heat energy loss over time. This groundbreaking partnership fits perfectly with our commitment to shift to sustainable, renewable energy and embed circularity in everything we do to enable a low-carbon society.”