Energy-storing buildings could be used to balance out renewable-energy intermittency

Urban buildings that act as giant thermal batteries could provide a long-term solution to the  problem of renewable-energy intermittency.

Andrew Fitzpatrick, U.K. business development director at BrainBox AI, said the company is closely examining how real estate could be used to balance out periods of renewable energy power outages through active and dynamic energy demand management.

“It’s clear that our world is shifting towards more renewable sources, but inherent with those types of energy sources comes intermittency,” said Fitzpatrick. “If it’s not windy, if it’s not sunny — then you won’t have as much power.

“And during those moments of intermittency, how can you manage the demand properly? Within cities, we think that there’s a very interesting opportunity to use buildings as a way to deal with those moments of intermittency.”

Fitzpatrick added, “Buildings are inherently great thermal batteries, meaning that they’re great