Thermal energy storage - understanding needs, perceptions and motivations
Many complex and expensive research and development projects such as ThumbsUp, ECHO, HYSTORE and Best Storage gather over 20 partners each from across Europe – including the best researchers and the sharpest SMEs – to further develop highly promising technologies. Ones that might change the future of integrated energy systems. But how do they know they are pursuing the right technology? How does the European Commission justify spending millions of taxpayers’ euros in advancing selected solutions from a TRL level 6 to a 9 with the purpose of achieving a Net-Zero economy on the continent?
They need to make sure there is a need in a mature market, so that when the product is ready to be commercialised, end-users are willing to adopt and invest. This is done through stakeholder engagement, market analyses and surveys. That is why such activities are key for successful European R&D projects.
In ThumbsUp, we are starting by doing a general audience survey of social acceptability, designed under the supervision of Stefano Barberis from the University of Genova. The purpose is to get a better understanding of how regular people perceive thermal energy storage and how much they know about its potential benefits – not only for their own energy efficiency, but also for the network they are connected to.
“The goal of this survey is not to perform a market analysis but more to understand the general perception of general audience about thermal Energy Storage (TES) even if they do not know so much about the technologies. Actually, this is an activity of ‘social acceptability’ more than market analysis.” Explains Dr Barberis.
To better understand the ThumbsUp project’s market analysis and stakeholder engagement strategies, and their importance in advancing sustainable energy solutions, we take into consideration the following points:
Understanding Public Perception Through Surveys
While market analysis is a common approach in many projects, ThumbsUp is taking a different route. As mentioned above, this initial survey is designed not to dissect the market but to gauge the general public’s perception of TES technologies. This activity focuses on social acceptability rather than market trends, seeking to understand how TES is viewed by those who may not be familiar with the technology. This can also drive understanding of what the “key value propositions” are that end-users look for in energy efficiency devices, thus to facilitate the market uptake and also understanding which could be the “messages” to be conveyed to them to make TES technologies attractive to customers.
In-Depth Market Analysis for Future Strategies
In contrast, a comprehensive market analysis will be conducted later in the project. This analysis will assess competitor technologies and enabling technologies providers. It will evaluate various performance levels, including energy savings, capital and operational expenditures, potential impacts on the electric/heat market, tenant acceptability, and ease of integration in both existing and new buildings.
Target Groups and Stakeholder Engagement
The primary target group for the initial survey is the general audience. Based on the survey results, future activities will focus on specific groups identified through various stakeholder activities. ThumbsUp engages potential end-users through surveys, dedicated events, webinars, and collaboration with its sister projects in the TES cluster. These interactions aim to gather first-reaction feedback on TES technology and raise awareness among potential end-users.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
One of the main challenges is ensuring a robust response rate to surveys. Lessons learned from facilitating general audience participation are invaluable and will be shared to improve future engagement strategies.
The ThumbsUp project, funded by Horizon Europe, is at the forefront of transforming thermal energy storage (TES) in buildings. By building state of the art, compact TES batteries using bio-based materials and testing them in real-life demonstration sites, the project aligns with the EU’s sustainability objectives, aiming to lead Europe towards a more efficient and cleaner energy future.
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