All around the world, factories making food, drink, pharmaceuticals and other everyday products rely on steam, often produced by fossil-fuel boilers. James Macnaghten, founder and CEO of Caldera, is betting that thermal batteries can provide a cheaper and more flexible alternative that stores electricity as heat, and delivers steam on demand.
This week on Cleaning Up, Bryony Worthington visits Caldera’s factory to see how its heat batteries use recycled aluminium and iron ore pellets to store electricity as heat, then produce steam when factories need it. The technology is designed for industrial processes below 200°C, which James sees as a major opportunity for electrification.
They discuss how thermal storage can help factories manage peaks in demand, use electricity when it is cheap or abundant, and reduce pressure on congested grids. They also explore Caldera’s plans to scale, its journey from domestic heating to industry, and why James believes a more pragmatic approach to electrification is needed.
Topics discussed in this episode:
The hidden opportunity in industrial heat
How Caldera’s heat batteries work
Why steam still matters
Heat pumps and thermal storage
Managing industrial demand spikes
Turning surplus power into heat
Scaling a UK climate-tech company
The case for pragmatic electrification
Watch the full episode on YouTube now, or find it on your favourite podcast platform.
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