The integration of solar PV and thermal energy storage is helping to decarbonize heating, particularly in the EU where there is an emphasis on upgrading the energy performance of existing buildings.
Renewable energy from solar PV and wind turbines is variable and unpredictable. Without any form of storage, it would be impossible to instantaneously meet the energy requirements of homes. Considering two-thirds of the final energy consumption in buildings is for heating/cooling and hot water, using thermal storage instead of electrical batteries makes sense. Heat storage traditionally occurs in insulated water tanks that take up a great deal of space.
