Multi-megawatt scale system shows industries can now access low-cost, clean, high-temperature electrified heat up to 1,800°C

BOSTON, Jan. 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Boston-based Electrified Thermal Solutions, a leader in industrial-scale low cost thermal energy storage systems, announced the commissioning of its first commercial-scale Joule Hive™ Thermal Battery at Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) in San Antonio. The system charges with AC electricity from the grid, and stores 20 MWh of heat at peak temperatures of 1,800°C (3,275°F). The heat is supplied on-demand as hot gas to industrial furnaces, boilers and kilns, with hot gas temperatures adjustable to an industry-leading 1,500°C (2,730°F). The hot gas supply can be increased to an unmatched delivery temperature of 1,800°C (3,275°F) specifically for deployments in industries demanding hottest temperatures, such as steel, cement, chemicals and glassmaking. By leveraging low-cost renewable electricity, the thermal battery unlocks a cost-competitive heating alternative to natural gas and other fossil fuels. This first unit draws directly from 13.2 kV AC power, providing direct configurability to the typical line voltage of industrial campuses globally, and significantly reducing the balance of plant costs associated with other electric heating systems such as stepdown transformers. The modular commercial-scale system can serve customer loads in the 1- 5 MW thermal demand range with additional modules enabling unlimited scaling to meet customer requirements.

Industrial heat accounts for approximately one-fifth of global energy consumption, with 89% generated by burning fossil fuels. Throughout much of the United States and Europe, electricity prices are negative for significant portions of the year, and the trend toward decreasing electricity pricing during off-peak hours continues to accelerate. With Electrified Thermal's Joule Hive thermal battery, industries can now access inexpensive, clean electricity directly from the grid and win head-to-head with fossil fuels on price for their heating needs, unlocking cost savings while supporting grid flexibility.

"Industry has long been looking for a way to manage the rising costs and volatility of energy," said Daniel Stack, CEO and co-founder of Electrified Thermal Solutions. "With the Joule Hive™ Thermal Battery, manufacturers in food and beverage, minerals, chemicals, metals, and other industries can now use process heat at even the highest temperature levels derived from the lowest-cost electricity available. By charging when electricity is cheapest and delivering heat on demand, the Joule Hive™ gives customers far more control over their energy costs. This fundamentally changes the economics of industrial heat."

The system's ability to reach temperatures up to 1,800°C, along with its ability to integrate with medium voltage AC power directly from the grid, makes it suitable for manufacturers across diverse sectors, from cement, steel, and chemicals to food and beverage, pulp and paper, and consumer goods. The Joule Hive™ achieves substantially lower capital and operating costs by leveraging proprietary electrically conductive firebricks designed to last 20+ years and by storing energy when electricity rates are lowest. Electrified Thermal has secured letters of intent with customers across multiple industries and is targeting 2 gigawatts (GW) of thermal power capacity deployment by 2030.

With the SwRI system now operational, Electrified Thermal is positioned to begin commercial deployments with industrial partners in 2026.

About Electrified Thermal Solutions: Electrified Thermal Solutions is pioneering the future of zero-carbon industrial heat cheaper than natural gas. Developed at MIT and backed by global industrials such as Holcim, Vale and ArcelorMittal, the electrically and thermally conductive bricks at the heart of Electrified Thermal's Joule Hive™ Thermal Battery represent a step-change improvement in electric heating technology in terms of high-temperature performance, ease of grid integration and reliability. The company's thermal battery converts and stores electricity as heat, delivering unprecedented near-flame temperatures (up to 1,800°C / 3,275°F), offering industrial heat cheaper than fossil fuels.

For more information, please visit www.electrifiedthermal.com

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SOURCE Electrified Thermal Solutions