Developing Green Energy: A Collaborative Venture Between Magaldi and Enel X on a New Energy Storage Facility
In a groundbreaking development, a new energy storage system called Mgtes is poised to make a significant impact on the environment. This innovative technology, the result of numerous international patents and a long-standing partnership with the Department of Chemical Engineering of the University of Federico II, is set to save up to 600 tons of CO2 per year for Igi, a supplier of vegetable oils to the Ferrero Group.
What is Mgtes?
Mgtes is an energy storage system that harnesses the power of silicon or sand-based materials instead of traditional lithium-ion batteries. This novel approach to storing electrical energy leverages abundant, low-cost, and environmentally friendly elements like silicon, a primary component of sand, rather than relying on scarce and ecologically impactful lithium and cobalt used in conventional batteries.
The core medium for storing energy in Mgtes is silicon, capable of holding a substantial amount of electrical charge through processes like lithium-silicon alloying or alternative chemistries involving magnesium and silicon compounds. This system aims to overcome the limitations of lithium-ion systems, such as limited raw material availability, high costs, and environmental concerns during mining and disposal.
Advantages of Mgtes
The advantages of Mgtes are numerous. Silicon, being the second most abundant element in the Earth’s crust, offers a highly sustainable solution. Sand and silicon are much cheaper and more widespread than lithium, making Mgtes a cost-effective alternative. Reducing reliance on lithium mining decreases associated environmental damage and carbon emissions. Additionally, silicon-based batteries may offer improved thermal stability and safety compared to lithium-ion batteries.
Mgtes and Decarbonization in Industries
Mgtes systems can be deployed at large scales, supporting renewable energy integration by storing excess renewable electricity generated from solar or wind farms. By replacing lithium batteries with silicon-based storage, energy storage systems have a smaller ecological footprint throughout their lifecycle, from raw material extraction to manufacturing and end-of-life recycling.
Industries requiring large-scale, reliable, and sustainable power storage, such as manufacturing plants, electric grids, and food & beverage companies like Igi, benefit from Mgtes by lowering operational emissions and reducing dependence on fossil fuel-based backup power. Cleaner, affordable storage solutions make it easier and more cost-effective to electrify processes that currently rely on fossil fuels, accelerating decarbonization efforts.
Moreover, the circular economy potential of Mgtes is significant. Silicon and sand are easier to recycle or repurpose, promoting sustainable materials management and reducing electronic waste.
The Mgtes Plant and Its Impact
The Mgtes plant, currently being built within the Magaldi group's industrial plant in Buccino, will provide high-temperature steam to the adjacent food company Igi. The new storage system will contribute to a reduction in Igi's total energy consumption by up to 20%.
The Magaldi group, a world leader in the production of high-temperature material conveyor belts, had a turnover of 55 million in 2023 and employed 220 people, half of whom were engineers. The technology is designed to replace gas for heat production in industrial processes and overcome the intermittency of renewable sources.
A second Mgtes plant is expected to be completed in 2025 at an investment of around 5 million. The new storage system will serve as a flexibility and balancing tool for the electricity grid, absorbing energy not only from a 2.5 MW photovoltaic plant but also from the electricity grid. The project involves the construction of a 2.5 MW photovoltaic plant and an Mgtes system of 80 tons with a daily thermal energy storage capacity of 8.6 MWh.
A Promising Future for Decarbonization
Mgtes represents a disruptive technology capable of decarbonizing industrial processes that require heat between 150° and 400°C, typically used by the food & beverage, paper, plastic, and chemical industries that currently mainly use fossil fuels. The contract for the Mgtes project is the result of a strategic agreement signed in 2023 between Magaldi and Enel X.
Letizia Magaldi, Vice President of Magaldi Green Energy, claims that the industry relying on high-temperature steam for production has limited decarbonization options due to a lack of adequate technological solutions. The Magaldi group will manage the second Mgtes plant in-house.
With the successful implementation of Mgtes in the Magaldi plant in Buccino, this innovative technology is set to revolutionize the energy storage landscape, contributing significantly to the global decarbonization efforts and moving industries closer to net-zero goals.
- The Mgtes energy storage system leverages abundant, environmentally friendly elements like silicon, a primary component of sand, setting it apart from traditional lithium-ion batteries that rely on scarce and ecologically impactful materials.
- The advantages of Mgtes extend beyond cost-effectiveness and environmental friendliness; silicon-based batteries may also offer improved thermal stability and safety compared to lithium-ion batteries.
- industries requiring large-scale, reliable, and sustainable power storage, such as manufacturing plants, electric grids, and food & beverage companies like Igi, can benefit greatly from Mgtes by lowering operational emissions, promoting decarbonization efforts, and supporting renewable energy integration.
