Climate Action Now: Heat Batteries Are Spreading Around the World

Heat batteries are growing fast in the U.S. MIT spin-off startup Electrified Thermal Solutions, recently unveiled the Joule Hive system, a superhot industrial heat battery which uses custom-designed metal oxide firebricks to convert grid surpluses into storable heat. The Joule Hive can store 20 megawatt-hours of energy at up to 1,800 degrees Celsius, reaching a heat range capable of replacing fossil fuels entirely in a range of manufacturing processes from steel to glass to cement! The first commercial-scale Joule Hive began operation in San Antonio, Texas in January 2026, and more are set to be delivered to customer facilities by the end of the year or early 2027. More DETAILS.