Report on Rondo Energy’s Thermal Battery and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals
Technological Milestone in Clean Energy Storage
Rondo Energy has announced the operational launch of the world’s largest thermal battery, a significant development in energy storage technology. This initiative directly supports several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy).
- Capacity: The system has a capacity of 100 megawatt-hours.
- Power Source: It is powered by an off-grid solar array, demonstrating a practical application of renewable energy integration.
- Function: The battery captures electricity, stores it as high-temperature heat in bricks, and delivers it on demand for industrial processes.
Advancing Sustainable Industrial Processes (SDG 9 & SDG 12)
The deployment of this thermal battery represents a critical step toward achieving SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by providing a viable path to decarbonize industrial heat.
- Addressing Industrial Emissions: Industrial heat accounts for 20% of total global energy demand and is predominantly generated by burning fossil fuels. Rondo’s technology offers a clean alternative.
- High Efficiency: The system operates at temperatures exceeding 1,000°C and returns over 97% of the stored energy as heat, promoting resource efficiency in line with SDG 9’s targets for upgrading industrial infrastructure with clean technologies.
- Scalability: This full-scale unit is a significant advancement from the 2 MWh pilot system launched in 2023, proving the technology’s readiness for commercial application in sectors like cement and steel manufacturing.
Implications for Climate Action (SDG 13)
While the technology holds immense promise for SDG 13 (Climate Action), its initial application presents a complex scenario. The first operational unit is being used to provide steam for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), a process for extracting fossil fuels.
- The Challenge: Critics argue that using climate technology to facilitate fossil fuel extraction may prolong the lifespan of polluting infrastructure, counteracting the objectives of SDG 13.
- The Pragmatic Approach: Rondo Energy’s position is that decarbonizing existing industrial operations is a necessary, immediate step. By replacing natural gas with solar-powered heat in current processes, the project reduces emissions in the short term. This aligns with the practical implementation of climate action by addressing the world’s current energy landscape.
Future Outlook and Global Scalability
The successful operation of the first unit serves as a proof-of-concept, paving the way for global expansion and a broader impact on the SDGs.
- Expansion Plans: Rondo is constructing three additional full-scale units in Europe, indicating growing international adoption.
- Manufacturing Capacity: The company’s factory in Thailand can currently produce 2.4 gigawatt-hours of heat batteries annually, ensuring it can meet rising demand.
- Conclusion: The project demonstrates that thermal energy storage is a practical and scalable solution available now. Its deployment, even in controversial sectors, contributes to the incremental decarbonization essential for achieving long-term climate goals under SDG 7, SDG 9, and SDG 13.
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
The article on Rondo Energy’s thermal battery technology addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on innovative solutions for clean energy, industrial decarbonization, and climate action.
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SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
The core topic of the article is a new energy storage system—a thermal battery—that is powered by a renewable source (“off-grid solar array”). It aims to provide a clean and consistent source of heat, directly contributing to the goal of ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all. The technology is presented as an alternative to burning fossil fuels for industrial heat.
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SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
The article highlights a significant technological innovation (“world’s largest thermal battery”) designed to make industrial processes more sustainable. It specifically mentions its application in “difficult-to-decarbonize sectors like manufacturing and heavy industrial processes like cement and steel production.” This aligns with the goal of building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation.
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SDG 13: Climate Action
The primary motivation behind the technology is to combat climate change. The article explicitly states that “thermal batteries could be a major tool in cutting emissions” and that the project’s success is “significant for climate action.” By replacing heat generated from fossil fuels with heat from solar-powered storage, the technology directly addresses the need to take urgent action to mitigate climate change.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
Based on the article’s discussion of the thermal battery’s function and purpose, several specific SDG targets can be identified.
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Under SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy):
- Target 7.2: By 2030, increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. The article describes a system that uses an “off-grid solar array” to power a battery that provides industrial heat. This directly facilitates the integration of renewable energy into the industrial energy mix, a sector heavily reliant on fossil fuels.
- Target 7.3: By 2030, double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. The technology itself is highly efficient, with the article noting that “over 97% of the energy put into the system is returned as heat.” This represents a significant improvement in the efficiency of converting and storing renewable electricity for industrial heat applications.
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Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure):
- Target 9.4: By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes. The thermal battery is presented as a “clean” technology that can be adopted by heavy industries to decarbonize their heat-intensive processes, directly aligning with the goal of retrofitting industries to be more sustainable.
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Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
- Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The article mentions that “policies in California” were a factor in the adoption of Rondo’s technology. This shows how the technology is being implemented within a policy framework designed to promote climate action, thereby integrating climate change measures into practical industrial strategies.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
The article provides both explicit and implicit indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets.
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Indicators for SDG 7 Targets:
- Renewable Energy Capacity (Implied for Target 7.2): The article specifies the capacity of the thermal battery system as “100 megawatt-hours.” This figure serves as a direct indicator of the amount of renewable energy storage capacity being added to the industrial sector. The company’s factory capacity to produce “2.4 gigawatt-hours’ worth of heat batteries” further indicates the potential for scaling up this contribution.
- Energy Efficiency (Explicit for Target 7.3): The article explicitly states the system’s efficiency: “over 97% of the energy put into the system is returned as heat.” This percentage is a direct performance indicator for energy efficiency improvements.
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Indicators for SDG 9 Target:
- Adoption of Clean Technologies (Implied for Target 9.4): The article describes the first operational “full-scale system” and notes that “three more full-scale units” are being built in Europe. The number of units deployed and the total capacity installed in industrial settings serve as an indicator of the rate of adoption of this clean technology in the industrial sector.
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Indicators for SDG 13 Target:
- Reduction in Emissions (Implied for Target 13.2): The central purpose of the technology is to cut emissions by replacing fossil fuels. The article states, “20% of total energy demand today is used to provide heat for industrial processes, and most of that is generated by burning fossil fuels.” The amount of natural gas or other fossil fuels displaced by this solar-powered heat system would be a key indicator of progress in climate change mitigation.
4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators Identified in the Article |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy |
7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
7.3: Double the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency. |
– Energy storage capacity of the system (“100 megawatt-hours”). – Manufacturing capacity for new batteries (“2.4 gigawatt-hours”). – System’s energy efficiency rate (“over 97% of the energy put into the system is returned as heat”). |
| SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable… with greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies. |
– Number of full-scale clean technology units deployed (one operational, “three more” being built). – Application in difficult-to-decarbonize sectors (manufacturing, cement, steel). |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. |
– Implementation of technology driven by climate-focused policies (“policies in California”). – Implied reduction of emissions by replacing fossil fuels used for industrial heat. |
Source: technologyreview.com
