#Solar and #wind power, electric vehicles are here. Next is heat-based #batteries for plants and factories. Electro-thermal installations, made of rocks, bricks and other materials heated with an electric coil, aim to solve one of the energy transition’s largest and least talked-about problems. Delivering high temperatures — anything from 100 to 1,500 degrees accounts for about a quarter of current fossil fuel consumption globally - 20% of carbon emissions. Burning hydrogen or 'capturing' carbon, are by definition more expensive than existing gas-fired boilers. Electro-thermal batteries can heat up bricks using the cheapest six hours of electricity, soak up the midday glut in southern European solar power, or a midnight excess of northern European wind - then discharge heat over the next 18 hours. That would cut 30 to 40% cost of electricity from wholesale prices. As more renewables enter the mix, midday prices would fall to zero or even negative. #electricity #climate #ClimateAction #Battery #battery ft.com/content/a17961e3-3b5b…