Energy technologies aim to stabilize grids and reduce costs

Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney are highlighting the potential of domestic water heating to reduce electricity costs and stabilize energy grids. Drawing on the massive deployment of over 450,000 residential batteries in Australia, the study suggests that shifting water heating loads can act as a form of energy storage. In Australia, heating water accounts for approximately 25% of an average household's energy consumption.

In Switzerland, a new device named ‘OverFlow’ has been introduced in Puidoux to manage electricity surpluses. The machine is designed to connect to a wood chip plant and a district heating network. It activates specifically when there is an excess of electricity on the grid, using the surplus energy to rapidly heat water by approximately 30 degrees Celsius before it enters the heating network.