Frequently Asked Questions

• Is a Kraftblock system an option for me?

  Kraftblock systems are applications for industrial purposes. At the moment there is no solution developed for single households.

  If you want to decarbonize your industrial processes, Kraftblock needs a source where heat is coming from and a sink where it is going to. If you have waste heat of 350°C or above and/or access to high voltage current up to ten kV, the source is given. Your sink are applications and processes that need energy.

  If you can think of either a source or a sink, there is a need for another partner in the process. We are working with companies to establish this link of a missing source or sink and can connect both partners via our mobile application. It is possible to get your heat to another partner or provide you with heat from another partner with much waste heat.

• Where can I find waste heat potential?

  Usually, high temperatures can be found in every furnace or burning process. 60 percent of the energy used is consumed by the processed product, everything else is waste heat and follows the chimney system.

  Potentials for high temperature waste heat can be found in metal and metal processing industries, the glass, ceramics and concrete industries, petrochemical and gas industries as well as for example in waste incinerators.

• How much capacity is possible?

  Kraftblock's storage systems are built with easily scalable modules in standardized containers. They offer a storage capacity of 4 MWh upwards, depending on the temperature level. Units up to GWh scale can be constructed and linked together.

• I need heat above 1,300°C for my processes, what is the use of Kraftblock?

  If you need a higher temperature, Kraftblock cannot provide you with that heat. However, there are many applications like pre-heating, slow cooling or tempering, that still allow you to avoid fossil fuels and emissions and minimize production costs.

• Are the charging and discharging temperatures on the same level?

  They can be, but they do not need to be on the same level. The discharged heat can be adapted as requested.

• What is the storage duration of Kraftblock?

  After charging, Kraftblock can store heat for your application from several hours up to one week. If you need to store energy between ten days up to two weeks, a sophisticated insulation concept will be applied.

  The energy loss per day also depends on the insulation: with a basic insulation the loss is between 1.5 and 3.0 percent per day. Using special insulation, the loss can be minimized to 0.5 percent per day.

• Are there any safety concerns with a Kraftblock storage?

  No. The storage as well as the material are completely safe and have no impact on the environment. The container is secured multiple times.

• How does Kraftblock use renewable energy?

  Using a power-to-heat element, electricity is converted into heat up to 1,000°C. There is only a one percent energy loss in this process. The heat is stored in a Kraftblock storage and used in the determined application at any time.

• What is the temperature limitation on high and low end?

  There is no limitation on the low end. However, we recommend using a source that has 350°C (660°F) or above for the plant to be economical. On the high end the material is able to work at a maximum of 1,300°C (2,370°F).

• Can Kraftblock store electricity?

  There is no market-ready way to store power sustainably. All the direct options are linked to big costs and rare earths that hugely impact the environment and/or are not safe. Kraftblock may not be able to store power directly but can convert power to heat and function as a capacity storage for the grid operation and repurpose conventional power plants and assets.

• How big is the energy loss of a storage from Kraftblock?

  That depends on the insulation used. With basic insulation the loss is between 1.5 and 3.0 percent per day. Special insulation is able to minimize the loss to 0.5 percent per day.

• What is the weight of a Kraftblock storage?

  A 10ft container weighs between ten and 18 tons. A 20ft container with material weighs 35 tons.

• Can you use flue gas to charge a Kraftblock?

  Yes, this is a possibility. During planning we analyze the flue gas in detail and determine whether we use it directly or indirectly via filters or a heat exchanger. This decision depends on certain substances and temperature levels of the flue gas.

• How durable is a Kraftblock storage?

  The material was tested for 15,000 cycles. A cycle is the charging, storing, and discharging of the storage. If you need the energy once a day the material is tested for more than 40 years. Because there was no deformation after the tests, we consider the life span to be greater. At the end of the lifetime, the material can be completely recycled again.

• When does a Kraftblock need maintenance?

  The storage itself does not need any maintenance for the tested durability. The industrial proven components of the charging and discharging system undergo maintenance cycles according to their manufacturers.

• My process or industry is not listed on the website, is it impossible to use Kraftblock technology?

  We work on countless applications and processes. Heat is everywhere so use cases often are highly individual. If your application is not listed here, just contact us. We constantly develop new use cases and opportunities to deploy the Kraftblock systems.