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Sun2Store is a 100MW/1000MWh thermal energy storage project in Spain, selected for the PDA support program.


The EU Innovation Fund Project Development Assistance (PDA) is a program that supports the development of clean energy or decarbonization projects, with a total amount of 1.1 billion euros. In addition to the long-term energy storage projects Sun2Store and Gravity, the supported programs also include projects in the fields of cruise wind propulsion, ship hydrogen fuel cells, green methanol production, greenhouse gas (GHG) and carbon capture and storage, bioethanol, aviation fuel power to oil, and more.



Sun2Store will use technology developed by American long-term energy storage startup Malta Inc to achieve 10 hours of long-term energy storage.



Malta Inc has developed a technology called Pumped Heat Storage (PHES), which converts electricity into heat and stores it in molten salt. Meanwhile, the cold energy generated by the system is stored in a special antifreeze coolant tank. Then, use a temperature difference driven heat engine to convert thermal and cold energy back into electrical energy as needed.



This technology can provide up to 200 hours of energy storage, but currently the company mainly targets application scenarios of 10 to 12 hours.



Malta Inc was initially invested by Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a company owned by Bill Gates, and received a Series B financing of $50 million in early 2021.



The B-round financing is led by Proman, an energy group headquartered in Switzerland. In addition to Dustin Moskovitz, co-founder of Facebook, existing shareholders Bill Gates' Breakthrough Energy Ventures and Alfa Laval are also participating in the follow-up investment.



In July, Malta Inc signed an agreement with Siemens Energy to jointly develop turbine mechanical components for their system.



Both Malta Inc and Siemens Energy are members of the Global Long Term Energy Storage Council established at the COP26 conference.



Meanwhile, Malta Inc also plans to deploy a 1GWh energy storage system in Maritimes, Canada.