FREDERICTON, New Brunswick – Nov. 15, 2022 – Malta Inc. and the Off-site Construction Research Centre (OCRC) at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) announced approval of New Brunswick Innovation Foundation (NBIF) funding to accelerate deployment of long-duration energy storage. Malta is a leading innovator of grid-scale, long-duration energy storage.

The grant will help fund a study evaluating the applicability of advanced modularization techniques and their impact on the optimization and rapid deployment of Malta’s Pumped- Heat Energy Storage (PHES) system. Malta’s PHES technology, which can store energy from eight hours to eight days or longer, improves the resilience and efficiency of electricity grids and allows for increased use of renewable energy, particularly abundant wind resources.

“Our government remains committed to supporting energy innovation across the province. NBIF is a key partner in helping to unlock the potential within our Energy sector. I’d like to commend Malta and UNB for their entrepreneurial spirit as they embark on this important work,” said Arlene Dunn, minister responsible for Opportunities NB.

Data from the study will reduce the time and capital expenditure necessary for Malta to deploy its breakthrough thermal energy storage technology.

“Collaborating with UNB OCRC on this research connects Malta with some of academia’s best minds in the fields of civil and construction engineering,” said Malta CEO Ramya Swaminathan. “Combining the OCRC’s extensive knowledge with our own specialized industry expertise advances the deployment of much-needed energy storage and will help educate the next generation of clean energy innovators.”

“At OCRC, we are constantly innovating in off-site construction and digital strategies for construction, and looking to collaborate with industry partners to further our research. Through this collaboration with Malta Inc, a leader in long-duration energy storage, OCRC is leaping into shaping the electricity grid of the future here in New Brunswick and beyond. UNB OCRC is excited about this partnership and to foray into the growth of clean energy technology across Canada and globally,” said Dr. Zhen Lei, OSCO Research Chair in Off-Site Construction and scientific director of the OCRC.

The Malta PHES system employs well-understood thermodynamic systems in a breakthrough energy storage application. It saves electricity for storage as thermal energy, which is stored until needed in a molten salt solution. This stored energy can be converted back to electricity on demand, returning the electricity to the grid to cover gaps between supply and demand and provide other essential grid resiliency services. In addition to providing readily dispatchable renewable energy, Malta’s PHES technology generates heat for industrial and district heat applications.