FLEXISApp has just announced funding for MESH (Mobile Energy Storage as Heat), a partnership project between FLEXISApp, SPECIFIC and Tata Steel UK. MESH is a 24 month thermal heat storage research project that will investigate and optimise the capture, storage and release of heat from industrial waste air streams using thermochemical storage (TCS) materials. FLEXIS Communications Manager Jonathon Pinch tells us more about FLEXISApp and MESH.
FLEXISApp is a new £3M WEFO funded research, development and innovation programme that is focussing on industrial decarbonisation and economic growth. FLEXISApp brings together academia, (Swansea University, University of South Wales and Cardiff University) industry and government to develop innovative energy technologies to achieve net zero targets by 2050.
The ultimate aim of FLEXISApp is to drive net zero solutions by forming strong partnerships and bringing together industry experts, like SPECIFIC, and other partners, to share world-leading research and resources in energy systems, to generate economic and green growth. Industry currently contributes around 25% to the UK’s CO2 emissions and housing is currently accountable for 9% of Welsh greenhouse gas emissions, so we need to do something to tackle this. The MESH project is looking to investigate and optimise the capture, storage and transport of previously wasted energy and release it in a controlled way to provide low carbon or zero carbon process heat or space heating in either industrial buildings or people’s homes.
One of the key benefits of being a collaborative research project like FLEXISApp and MESH, is shared knowledge and technology. Dr Jonathon Elvins and the team at SPECIFIC have already made great progress with research in Thermal Energy Storage and with support from additional funding and resources from FLEXISApp, this work can continue with MESH and further commercial applications can be explored.
There is a little way to go until we reach our ultimate end goal of using captured industrial heat and using it to power people’s home, cost effectively, but this research will put us one step closer to achieving this and the world’s net zero targets. Watch this space… or the FLEXIS Twitter and LinkedIn pages for updates.
I’m really looking forward to being a part of this venture, building on current research and working together to develop its new commercial opportunities.
Blog post written by FLEXIS Communications Manager, Jonathon Pinch
Small scale demonstrator charge rig 
Cassette style demonstrator discharge rig