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Rondo and Covestro Break Ground on 100 MWh Industrial Heat Battery in Germany

The system will convert surplus renewable electricity into constant process steam to test the case for wider rollout.

Overview

  • The Brunsbüttel installation is slated to begin operations by the end of 2026 at Covestro’s chemical site in northern Germany.
  • Once operating, it is expected to supply about 10% of the site’s steam demand and reduce up to 13,000 metric tons of CO2 annually.
  • The brick-based store heats ceramic blocks above 1,000°C, charges during surplus renewable power—typically 6–8 hours daily—and drives a conventional boiler to deliver emission-free steam.
  • At 100 MWh, it will match Rondo’s California unit as the largest industrial heat battery, with financing support reported from Breakthrough Energy Catalyst and the European Investment Bank.
  • The project extends a growing portfolio that includes a 100 MWh agreement with Heineken in Portugal and a 32 MWh system now serving a cement plant in Thailand.