Cleaning up wind turbines’ footprint after their useful life is important. So is making the most of the power they generate. A new partnership between a global energy company and a battery startup that relies on hot bricks could help address Europe’s energy crisis and cut carbon emissions. Rondo Energy has developed a “heat battery” that converts renewable energy into the high temperatures that can power industrial processes. The startup has signed a deal with Portugal-based energy company EDP, which has agreed to power up to 2 gigawatts of heat battery installations from Rondo across Europe starting in 2025. “This is a slingshot moment for us,” Rondo’s founder and chief executive John O’Donnell said.  Rondo Energy uses electric heating elements and clay bricks to supply carbon-free industrial heat for factories. Source: Rondo Energy Bay Area-based Rondo superheats clay bricks using the same elements found in a toaster. The bricks can reach up to 1,500C (2,700F) and one of them can hold as much energy as a Tesla Model X. Building a system at scale can provide enough heat energy to power a factory or run a steam generator. The industrial sector is one of the hardest to decarbonize because it’s heavily reliant on fossil fuels to generate high heat needed to make things like steel and cement. Heat batteries could help break that bond, and Rondo says its technology can cut industrial emissions by 80% while also providing grid stability by making use of and storing excess renewable power. Read the full story. | 
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