Antora Energy is deploying a 5 gigawatt-hour thermal energy storage system at a POET biofuel facility in South Dakota. The system uses carbon blocks heated to extreme temperatures to store excess wind energy that would otherwise be curtailed, converting it back into electricity or high-temperature industrial heat. This project utilizes thermophotovoltaic cells to capture infrared light from superheated carbon, achieving higher efficiency than previous TPV technologies. By providing a dispatchable source of zero-carbon heat, the system directly replaces fossil fuel consumption in industrial processes.
