Chevron selects MGA Thermal for 5 megawatt-hour “clean steam” study

Thermal energy storage solution company MGA Thermal has announced its first major customer, with Chevron to conduct an initial engineering and design study using a 5 megawatt-hour unit based on the Newcastle-based startup’s technology.

In a statement on Monday, MGA said the study represented a “significant milestone” in its history. The budget of the project was not shared.

“We’re confident that our clean steam solution will play a crucial role in helping industry leaders meet their ambitious decarbonisation goals,” said Dr Alex Post (pictured), CTO and co-founder of MGA Thermal, which was established in 2019 and spun out research at the University of Newcastle.

The company’s approach to energy storage is based on a phase change material — alloy particles — impregnated in graphite bricks. The bricks, “while remaining outwardly solid” store heat in the alloy and enable “24/7 clean steam discharge in the scale of MWhs to GWhs for industrial processes or base load electricity”, according to MGA.

The trial of its technology, able to “deliver steam at temperatures ranging from 150°C to over 550°C”, will be at an unnamed Chevron site, feature Anacapa as the appointed EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) partner to Chevron, and is expected to be complete by the end of 2024, MGA said.

“We look forward to the insights this study provides as we continue our journey towards a lower-carbon future,” added Luc Huyse, Manager, Operations and Facilities at Chevron Innovation.

Separately, MGA is building a pilot plant at its factory in Tomago, NSW, which has received support from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) and energy company Shell.

The planned 5 megawatt hour demonstrator is expected to gather data concerning the charging and discharging behaviour, fluid dynamics and temperature distributions in a system.

Picture: supplied

Further reading

MGA Thermal awarded $2.5 million from ARENA, prepares to resume commissioning

MGA Thermal raises $8.25 million

MGA Thermal’s pilot project awarded $560,000 backing from Shell