Thermal energy storage firm MGA Thermal and cleantech company Knode have made significant progress on a 180MWh industrial-scale thermal energy storage (TES) project in Western Australia to deliver renewable heat for industrial processes.
Australia’s largest thermal storage project and one of the country’s most advanced industrial decarbonisation initiatives has successfully completed its pre-feasibility phase in collaboration with Western Australian-based global mining and energy company Tronox, global professional services company GHD, and another diversified global mining company.
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Based on the study’s findings, MGA Thermal’s TES technology is economically competitive with traditional fossil fuel technologies at an industrial scale. TES works as a highly flexible dispatchable asset, offering industrial companies a scalable means of electrifying high-grade process heat, reducing energy costs, emissions, and reliance on fossil fuels.
The study investigated the feasibility of a 180MWh TES project capable of delivering 20 tonnes per hour of steam to an industrial site. The project will be connected to Western Australia’s South West Interconnected System (SWIS) and can deliver significant network benefits, including load shifting. Once completed, the TES system will position Western Australia at the forefront of decarbonisation for industrial heating applications.
Thermal energy storage is a firming technology that stores intermittent renewable generation and delivers stable, continuous power 24×7. Access to low-cost renewable energy will be a critical factor between long-term international competitiveness and the closure of economically vital industrial facilities in Australia.
“Knode and MGA Thermal are pioneering Australia’s largest industrial-scale thermal energy storage project that represents a genuine breakthrough in industrial decarbonisation,” MGA Thermal CEO Mark Croudace said.
“This project not only validates the commercial viability of MGA Thermal’s technology at scale, but also demonstrates its applicability to high-temperature industrial heat processes, a critical need that few other renewable technologies can effectively address.”
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The success of the pre-feasibility study builds on the successful launch of MGA Thermal’s 5MWh commercial-scale demonstration project in Australia and demonstrates strong market validation with multiple industry participants.”
The project is now preparing to enter the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase, with construction targeted to commence in 2026 and operations beginning in late 2027. Once complete, it will represent the first commercial-scale deployment of MGA Thermal energy storage for industrial heat applications.
