TREASURE at ISEC 2026: Advancing Large-Scale Thermal Energy Storage
The TREASURE project was represented at the 4th International Sustainable Energy Conference (ISEC 2026), held in Graz, Austria. The event brought together researchers, industry leaders, and policymakers from around the world to exchange knowledge on renewable heating and cooling, energy storage, and integrated urban and industrial energy systems.
ISEC 2026, co-organised by AEE INTEC, focused on how to achieve energy sovereignty in the context of climate change and evolving policy frameworks. Key topics included sector coupling, energy storage systems, and the transition towards a sustainable and circular energy economy. The conference provided a platform for dialogue between research, industry, and policy, supported by international organisations.
TREASURE contributions at ISEC 2026
As part of the programme, TREASURE partners presented research and results related to large-scale thermal energy storage, with a particular focus on Pit Thermal Energy Storage (PTES).
Evaluating locations for seasonal thermal energy storage
The poster Evaluating Locations for Seasonal Thermal Energy Storages (Carles Ribas Tugores, Matthias Leitner, Gerald Zotter, Wim van Helden) addressed one of the key challenges in implementing large-scale storage systems: site selection. Its focus is on the identification of suitable conditions for seasonal thermal energy storage, highlighting how location-specific factors influence the feasibility and performance of storage solutions.
Soil investigations for PTES
The poster Soil investigations for Pit Thermal Energy Storages (Elisabeth Lachner, Abdalla Almukashfi, Jan Dannemand Andersen) focused on subsurface conditions as a critical factor for PTES implementation.
This poster is further presented in a short video, where Elisabeth Lachner (AEE INTEC) explains the team’s work on soil investigations and its relevance for the design and deployment of PTES systems.
From research to demonstration: implementation insights
In addition to poster contributions, Wim van Helden (AEE INTEC), coordinator of the TREASURE project, presented Implementation of Large Ground-based Heat Storage Systems: Findings from European Demonstration Projects.
Beyond the technical contributions, ISEC 2026 provided a platform for knowledge exchange and networking, bringing together stakeholders from research, industry, and policy. Workshops, poster sessions, and informal discussions supported collaboration across the energy sector and reinforced the importance of joint efforts in advancing renewable heating and cooling systems.
