As the trend of sustainable development concerns also the sphere of energy, the question of new technologies for modern energy storage systems becomes urgent. The MOST project joins the worldwide effort and proposes its own method of integration renewable energy sources into power grids worldwide.

MOST develops a molecular based system that can capture solar energy at room temperature and store the energy for very long periods of time without remarkable energy losses, which corresponds to a closed cycle of energy capture, storage, and release.

The system is hybrid, as it includes also thermal energy storage, which makes it possible to use solar energy efficiently and on-demand. That will allow two modes of operation:

„In the first mode, the objective will be to reach a stable thermal output, while in the second mode larger temperature gradients will be targeted under shorter durations of time. This work will help to advance solar energy storage technology,“ states the research team in the project proposal.

Further, the project will build an innovation ecosystem around the project and engage with future users of the technology in order to ensure future development and EU capacity for future market implementation. The coordinating institution is Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden). Other research participants are from Denmark, Spain, Germany and the United Kingdom.

“I am truly excited about this project that is elevating the research from basic demonstrations towards real applications. We have a team of leading international experts with expertise in in thermal energy storage, catalysis and molecular materials all together, this create a unique opportunity for us to create radically new technologies for emission free energy storage and conversion,” says Kasper Moth-Poulsen, the project coordinator.

MOST has started in September this year and will run for 54 months until February 2024.

Background information

FET-Open and FET Proactive are now part of the Enhanced European Innovation Council (EIC) Pilot (specifically the Pathfinder), the new home for deep-tech research and innovation in Horizon 2020, the EU funding programme for research and innovation.