Antora 5.8 GWh thermal battery for Kansas ethanol plant stores heat in carbon blocks

Antora Energy plans to install a 5.8 GWh thermal battery system at Pratt Energy's ethanol biorefinery in Pratt, Kansas. The system stores electricity as heat in insulated carbon blocks, then supplies that heat to the plant's industrial processes around the clock. Antora says the project is one of the largest battery storage systems in the world once complete, and it is the company's second major thermal battery deployment announced this year. Energy deliveries are scheduled to start in 2027 under a long-term heat offtake agreement. The project is backed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners through its credit platform, with Grok Ventures and University Pension Plan Ontario also participating. Pratt Energy says the installation supports its goal of producing zero carbon intensity ethanol, though the company frames it as a step toward that target rather than an immediate achievement. Antora also expects the project to support over 100 construction and operations jobs and plans to prioritize local candidates for permanent roles. The Pratt project follows Antora's 5 GWh installation in Big Stone City, South Dakota, which carries a 50 MW power rating. Antora did not specify an equivalent power rating for the Kansas system. The deal shows how long duration thermal storage can connect renewable electricity to industrial heat demand, a segment that has been hard to decarbonize with batteries alone.