Energy Storage that Grows with the Grid
To maintain a reliable grid and achieve energy independence, we need cost-effective, large-scale energy storage that delivers when called upon, day in and day out, to meet our growing energy needs.
BUT NOT ALL ENERGY STORAGE IS CREATED EQUAL
That’s where Fourth Power comes in. Our technology transforms America’s abundant domestic energy resources into reliable, on-demand power through utility-scale thermal energy storage. We harness any kind of energy produced, store and deliver it precisely when the grid needs it most, at costs that beat traditional alternatives and foreign battery technologies.
Our modular system provides 5 hours of energy storage to meet today’s grid demands and scales seamlessly for extended needs up to 100 hours, and any increment in between. With the ability to flexibly grow from short- to long-duration energy storage (LDES), we can start small and grow with America’s energy infrastructure while reducing consumer costs, strengthening grid reliability, and securing our nation’s energy independence.
Key Features
Low Cost
Fourth Power’s power-dense system stores electricity at the lowest cost, ten times cheaper than lithium-ion. We deliver power at costs lower than new natural gas, reducing energy bills for American families and businesses.
Inexpensive carbon blocks are used to store energy at record-breaking temperatures.
Flexible
Fourth Power offers a modular storage system that grows with the grid, enabling our customers to start with the storage duration they need today and add more capacity as requirements evolve. Adding duration to a Fourth Power system costs only a fraction of the initial installation, maximizing value for utilities and ratepayers.
Fourth Power’s thermophotovoltaic (TPV) power sticks can be moved in and out of the light, which allows the system to respond quickly and flexibly to grid needs.
POWER-DENSE
By using liquid metal to transfer heat, Fourth Power’s power density is unmatched. This results in a compact, grid-scale system footprint—a 100MW, 10-hour system battery fits within a 1-acre plot.
Fourth Power’s heater operates at an extremely high temperature – almost half the temperature of the sun – which enables the system to have high power density.
Safe
Our thermal energy storage technology was engineered with safety in mind from its inception. The system is enclosed in an inert environment to prevent oxidation of the carbon materials. Furthermore, as a non-pressurized, thermal technology, we do not face the same safety concerns as electrochemical solutions, such as risks of fire, explosion, and/or thermal runaway.
An outer enclosure houses the subsystems of the battery and keeps the system contained in an argon environment, rendering the system safe from fire risk and oxidation.
Scalable
Fourth Power leverages abundant domestic materials instead of scarce foreign resources that require mining and processing. Our supply chain comes from a by-product of petroleum refining, for which the U.S. is one of the largest exporters globally.
Each subsystem of Fourth Power’s thermal battery is separately housed – this allows energy and power to be scaled independently.
Long life
The materials that comprise our energy storage system do not experience corrosion at any temperature. In fact, our founder’s first design decision was to choose highly compatible materials: graphite (carbon) and tin. We then went on to engineer system components using only these materials. Moreover, unlike most materials on Earth, graphite becomes stronger as it gets hotter. With this in mind, Fourth Power’s energy storage system is engineered to have a lifespan of more than 30 years.
Fourth Power’s liquid metal pumps — along with the rest of the system — have been designed for 30+ years of life with no corrosion.
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Contact
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