Electrified Thermal Solutions (ETS) has installed two Joule Hive thermal batteries at a Holcim cement production facility. This technology uses modified firebricks that conduct electricity to reach temperatures of 1800 degrees Celsius, enabling the electrification of industrial processes previously reliant on fossil fuels like coal or methane.
The Joule Hive system stores heat for up to three days with 95 percent efficiency. This deployment follows a successful commercial-scale pilot at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, which completed over 1,000 hours of operation. Holcim has also become an investment partner to ETS as part of its decarbonization strategy.
The technology aims to address high-temperature industrial needs in sectors such as steel, glass, and chemicals. Previously, in 2024, Ashland received a matching grant of up to $35 million from the Department of Energy to deploy Joule Hive batteries at its Kentucky plant to replace methane-fired boilers for steam generation.
