Knode and MGA Thermal have announced significant progress on a landmark 180 megawatt-hour industrial-scale thermal energy storage (TES) project in Western Australia, set to deliver renewable heat for industrial processes and advance the state’s decarbonisation goals.
Billed as Australia’s largest thermal storage project and one of the nation’s most advanced industrial decarbonisation initiatives, the development has successfully completed its pre-feasibility phase in collaboration with Western Australian-based global mining and energy company Tronox, global professional services firm GHD, and another diversified global mining company.
The study found that MGA Thermal’s TES technology is economically competitive with traditional fossil fuel systems at an industrial scale.
TES functions as a flexible, dispatchable energy asset, enabling industrial operators to electrify high-grade process heat, reduce emissions, lower energy costs, and decrease reliance on gas and coal.
The proposed system – capable of generating 20 tonnes per hour of steam – will connect to Western Australia’s South West Interconnected System (SWIS) and is expected to provide significant grid benefits including load shifting.
Once operational, it will position Western Australia at the forefront of industrial heat decarbonisation.
Western Australia’s minerals and processing sector, which employs thousands and generates billions in export revenue, now faces increasing pressure to cut emissions as global markets demand low-carbon products.
“Without viable clean steam solutions that remove reliance on natural gas, carbon-intensive industries face an uncertain future as global markets increasingly demand low-carbon products,” said Chris Nelson, CEO of Knode.
Nelson added: “Commercialising and scaling new technologies is challenging, and we’re adopting an innovative approach that engages multiple industrial stakeholders upfront to co-develop this industry-defining asset.
“By derisking the technology and business case at scale, the project has the potential to accelerate rollout for these stakeholders across their facilities globally.”
Many heavy industries – including mineral processing, refining, food and beverage, chemical production, and materials manufacturing – rely on constant, high-temperature heat, making it difficult to switch to intermittent renewables.
TES addresses this by storing renewable energy for around-the-clock delivery of stable, high-grade heat.
“Knode and MGA Thermal are pioneering Australia’s largest industrial-scale thermal energy storage project that represents a genuine breakthrough in industrial decarbonisation,” said Mark Croudace, CEO of MGA Thermal.
“This project not only validates the commercial viability of MGA Thermal’s technology at scale, but also demonstrates its applicability to high-temperature industrial heat processes, a critical need that few other renewable technologies can effectively address.”
The pre-feasibility success follows MGA Thermal’s launch of a 5 MWh commercial-scale demonstration project in Australia, which delivered the world’s first 24/7 renewable industrial steam supply.
The strong industry support for the 180 MWh initiative highlights growing demand for clean industrial heat solutions.
The project is now moving into the Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) phase, with construction scheduled to start in 2026 and operations to commence in late 2027.
Upon completion, it will mark the first commercial-scale deployment of MGA Thermal’s technology for industrial heat applications.