An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability. High-voltage DC power conversion and distribution circuitry improves the efficiency of VRE power transfer into the system.

An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability. High-voltage DC power conversion and distribution circuitry improves the efficiency of VRE power transfer into the system.

An energy generation system for converting combustible fluid from a nontraditional combustible fluid source to useable energy. The energy generation system including a fluid storage system including a compressor and at least one storage tank, the compressor configured to pressurize a combustible fluid from a combustible fluid source for storage in the one or more storage tanks; and an energy recovery system configured to receive the combustible fluid from the at least one storage tank, the energy recovery system including: a turboexpander configured to depressurize the combustible fluid received from the at least one storage tank; a motor-generator configured to input the combustible fluid as depressurized by the turboexpander, and generate electrical energy from the combustible fluid; and an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system configured to generate electrical energy based on a temperature differential between the combustible fluid input to the motor-generator and a waste heat produced by the motor-generator.

An energy generation system for converting combustible fluid from a nontraditional combustible fluid source to useable energy. The energy generation system including a fluid storage system including a compressor and at least one storage tank, the compressor configured to pressurize a combustible fluid from a combustible fluid source for storage in the one or more storage tanks; and an energy recovery system configured to receive the combustible fluid from the at least one storage tank, the energy recovery system including: a turboexpander configured to depressurize the combustible fluid received from the at least one storage tank; a motor-generator configured to input the combustible fluid as depressurized by the turboexpander, and generate electrical energy from the combustible fluid; and an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system configured to generate electrical energy based on a temperature differential between the combustible fluid input to the motor-generator and a waste heat produced by the motor-generator.

An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability. High-voltage DC power conversion and distribution circuitry improves the efficiency of VRE power transfer into the system.

An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability. High-voltage DC power conversion and distribution circuitry improves the efficiency of VRE power transfer into the system.

A system and method of transferring heat from the ground is described. At least one heat pipe is provided that has a hollow interior, a heat output end, and a heat input end. The heat output end is positioned higher that the heat input end. The hollow interior contains a working fluid that transfers heat from the input end to the output end. The working fluid is a liquid at a first temperature and a gas at a second temperature where the second temperature is greater than the first temperature. The working fluid becomes a gas as it is heated at the heat input end and returns to a liquid at the heat output end of the pipe when the heat is transferred out of the heat pipe. The heat transferred from the heat output end of the heat pipe is captured for future use.

A system and method of transferring heat from the ground is described. At least one heat pipe is provided that has a hollow interior, a heat output end, and a heat input end. The heat output end is positioned higher that the heat input end. The hollow interior contains a working fluid that transfers heat from the input end to the output end. The working fluid is a liquid at a first temperature and a gas at a second temperature where the second temperature is greater than the first temperature. The working fluid becomes a gas as it is heated at the heat input end and returns to a liquid at the heat output end of the pipe when the heat is transferred out of the heat pipe. The heat transferred from the heat output end of the heat pipe is captured for future use.

An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability. High-voltage DC power conversion and distribution circuitry improves the efficiency of VRE power transfer into the system.

An energy storage system converts variable renewable electricity (VRE) to continuous heat at over 1000° C. Intermittent electrical energy heats a solid medium. Heat from the solid medium is delivered continuously on demand. An array of bricks incorporating internal radiation cavities is directly heated by thermal radiation. The cavities facilitate rapid, uniform heating via reradiation. Heat delivery via flowing gas establishes a thermocline which maintains high outlet temperature throughout discharge. Gas flows through structured pathways within the array, delivering heat which may be used for processes including calcination, hydrogen electrolysis, steam generation, and thermal power generation and cogeneration. Groups of thermal storage arrays may be controlled and operated at high temperatures without thermal runaway via deep-discharge sequencing. Forecast-based control enables continuous, year-round heat supply using current and advance information of weather and VRE availability. High-voltage DC power conversion and distribution circuitry improves the efficiency of VRE power transfer into the system.