Molten silicon energy storage system achieves key milestone

1414 Degrees has announced the successful commissioning of its SiBox Demonstration Module (SDM), marking a key funding milestone in the SiBox Development Agreement with Woodside Energy Technologies Pty Ltd. The commissioning phase involved extensive trials, demonstrating the SDM’s ability to convert electric energy into a controlled very hot air stream for industrial processes.

The company’s SiBox technology absorbs low-cost renewable energy from the grid and stores it as heat in proprietary silicon storage media called SiBricks. It provides high-temperature air output, up to 1000°C, coupled to the process via an energy recovery system. Silicon’s very high melting point (1414°C) and high energy density means it can hold much more energy than other phase change materials and supplies consistent heat and electricity in the proportions required by consumers.

The company said SiBox is a complete thermal energy storage system designed to be retrofitted to heavy industry processes and can provide continuous, reliable, decarbonised, ultra-high-temperature heat.

The company added that the SiBricks in the SDM showed excellent energy storage performance, successfully undergoing 32 cycles of phase change. As previously reported the SDM has shown its flexibility to meet a range of industry needs by operating at outlet temperatures ranging from 700°C to 850°C and delivering 6–12 hours’ continuous output at each set point.

The SDM is now operating autonomously and is ready for continuous cycling and discharge testing over the next 12 months to complete the validation phase. Following successful validation and a commercialisation plan, Woodside will evaluate providing further funding to the SiBox business, including potentially acquiring an equity interest in the business.

SiBox represents a significant advancement in 1414 Degrees’ energy storage technology developed over more than a decade.

“Over the next 12 months, we anticipate that SiBox will emerge as an important emissions reduction solution for the industrial sectors that manufacture the infrastructure of our societies,” said 1414 Degrees Chairman Dr Kevin Moriarty.

“With financial support from Woodside and the Australian Government Modern Manufacturing Initiative, we are well-positioned to make significant contributions to industries’ transition to clean energy. Our expertise in converting renewable electricity to zero-carbon heat, can help them tackle their unique challenges of high temperatures, reliability and cost-effectiveness.”