| Energy storage
A future in store for old coal plants: Aalborg CSP’s vision
A substantial increase in renewable energy production is to be expected in the coming years, and this will require storage of energy from wind turbines and solar parks if we are to maintain our current consumption patterns. At the same time, existing coal-fired power plants must be phased out. An ideal plan is therefore to re-use coal-fired power plants for storing renewable energy instead of demolishing them and building new energy storage facilities from scratch
The need to store energy from solar panels and wind turbines in an efficient and flexible way will increase significantly in the coming years. There are advantages in storing renewable energy and saving it for later use when there are peak loads on the grid and when renewable energy production is low. That is why the Danish company Aalborg CSP, a specialist in renewable energy, sees great potential in building storage facilities that promote the energy transition.
Aalborg CSP has developed an innovative solution that transforms existing coal- fired power plants into large-scale energy storage facilities. With many of these plants scheduled for decommissioning as part of the global green transition, Aalborg CSP’s approach offers a smarter alternative: rather than dismantling existing infrastructure, the solution reuses most of the installed equipment, preserves local jobs, and provides cost-effective energy storage and regional security of supply of electricity and heat. Drawing on proven large-scale applications, the concept enables continued use of existing
sites for energy purposes, while allowing new energy storage infrastructure to be built where needed most.
In Europe, there are more than 250 operating coal-fired power plants that are having an impact on the environment and climate due to their high consumption of fossil fuels. Many of these power plants will be phased out because the CO2
emissions
must be reduced significantly in the coming years, which means that power plant owners will be left with outdated facilities resulting in large depreciation charges if they are not converted to electric storage operation. At Aalborg CSP, Vice President of Technical Sales, Jens Taggart Pelle, hopes that, in addition to the environmental and climate related benefits, owners of coal-fired power plants will also see a good business opportunity in replacing the boilers at coal-fired power stations with energy storage facilities powered by cheap electricity and revenue from the provision of grid system services.
“The plant owners will save on the costs of decommissioning and dismantling coal-fired
power plants, which are scrap if they can no longer generate power,” says Jens Taggart Pelle. “Our calculations show that repurposing coal-fired power plants is the most cost- effective solution, as the equipment is already installed and fully functional for many years to come. In addition, the plant owners will see a reduction in fuel costs by charging with excess renewable energy from the grid and can generate new revenue both through provision of balancing services to the electricity market and arbitrage with the sale of the stored electricity. Likewise, we see the owners’ public image will be boosted as they, thanks to the conversion, provide security of supply of electricity in unstable times while making a huge effort in creating sustainable future energy production.”
Innovative power-to-salt concept Aalborg CSP aims to convert coal-fired power plants to energy storage by offering power- to-salt technologies. Using a so-called Carnot battery, Aalborg CSP can convert electricity into thermal energy. The battery works by
The Aalborg CSP concept for converting coal plants to thermal storage facilities. (Image: Aalborg CSP)
www.modernpowersystems.com | January/February 2026 | 23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45
