Proceedings of the 2026 Thermal-Mechanical-Chemical Energy Storage (TMCES) Workshop
The 2026 TMCES Workshop took place July 29-July 30 at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).
Workshop Overview
Thermal, mechanical, and chemical energy storage technologies are viable alternatives to batteries for a range of energy storage applications including long duration energy storage. Specifically, technologies such as compressed air, flywheel, liquid air, pumped heat, pumped hydro, thermal heat, hydrogen, etc. storage methods are advancing rapidly toward commercialization and compete with batteries to cover a broad range of electric grid needs. This joint industry-government-academia TMCES workshop will provide an open information and networking session with the primary goal to advance non-battery electric storage technologies. Researchers, industry partners, and end-users will meet in this workshop to discuss state-of-the-art technology and application requirements, identify technology gaps and research needs, and develop guidance to coordinate and direct future pre-competitive R&D activities related to thermal, mechanical, and chemical energy storage technologies. Open discussion sessions will be held to solicit input from workshop participants on the direction of energy storage research funding. This 1.5-day event is jointly organized by members from the industry, academia and the US Department of Energy.
Day 1
Keynote Speakers
Matt Bauer, DOE – Integrating Solar Heat for Industrial Processes into American Facilities
Neva Espinoza, EPRI – Transforming the Energy System in the Age of AI
Technical Presentations
Asegun Henry, MIT/Fourth Power – The Fourth Power Thermal Battery: Technology Concept & Progress
Karl Wygant, Ebara Elliott Energy – Role of Integrally Geared Compressors in Energy Storage Applications
Parag Mehresh, Vertiv – Scale at Speed: Critical Data Center Power Trends
Pedro Giorni, SHI FW – Liquid Air, Solid Results: Early Operation of LAES in Japan: SEH Hatsukaichi
Joshua Schmitt, SwRI – Two Novel Test Systems for Maintaining TES Output Temperature
David Sanchez, University of Seville – One Year Later: Are We Clear About the Iberian Blackout Yet?
Rebecca Mitchell, DOE – Thermal Energy Storage Testbed (TESbed)
Todd Carlson, Mitsubishi – Hydrogen Update
Luke McLaughlin, Sandia National Labs – From Photons to Process Heat: Demonstrating PV-Charged Radial Packed-Bed Thermal Energy Storage for Coffee Roasting
Panel Session – End Users
Nick Lumley, Xcel Energy – Xcel Energy: Perspectives on Long-Duration Energy Storage
Shannon Liburd, Constellation Energy – Constellation Long Duration Storage (LDES) Overview
Matt Jacobson, Duke Energy – Duke Energy – Long Duration Energy Storage
Tessa Murdock, Salt River Project – End User Panel
Lightning Talk
Julian Osorio, NLR – Innovative Welding Procedures and Materials for Improved Structural Integrity and Reliability of Molten Salt Thermal Energy Storage Tanks
Randall Attix, SSS Clutch – Gear Tooth Overrunning Clutches Add Flexibility to Power Generation
Ben Rogers, Rebound Technologies – Ice Storage for Turbine Inlet Cooling: Unlocking Additional Peak Capacity Today at the Lowest Cost
Fred Buckingham, NAES – ASME PTC 53-2023 Performance Test Code for Mechanical and Thermal Energy Storage Systems
Arijit Jatkar, Rondo Energy – Rondo Heat Batteries in Thermal Power and Cogeneration
Brandon Kruse, Magaldi Technologies – Who Doesn’t Like Nutella? Commercialization of the Decarbonization of Industrial Heat
Michael Adams, Georgia Institute of Technology – Rapid Thermal Cycler for High-Throughput Thermochemical Energy Storage Characterization
Jeff Winick, DOE – Underground Thermal Energy Storage
Panel Session – University/Labs
Ty Neises, NLR – TMCES Capabilities and Projects at NLR
Henk Laubscher, Sandia National Labs
Vaclav Novotny, Czech Technical University – Power-to-Heat Retrofits in CHP Plants: Low-Cost, High-Efficiency Energy Storage
Day 2
Keynote Speaker
Tim Allison, SwRI – Optimizing the Size and Duration of LDES in Distributed Energy Systems
Technical Presentations
Tim Held, Echogen – CO2 Pumped Thermal Energy Storage
Jennifer Kurtz, NLR – Derisking Energy Storage Technologies at ARIES
Anthony Menicucci, University of New Mexico/Sandia National Labs
Renaud Le Pierres, Parker FES – Compact Heat Exchangers for Thermal Energy Storage
Rainer Kurz, San Diego State University – Technical Challenges for Hydrogen Compressors
Mobola Dosumu, Everllence – High-Temperature Industrial Heat Pumps: A Practical On-Ramp to Thermal Energy Storage
Dave Ridley, CleanTech Strategies – Improving Reliability of TMCES Systems
Panel Session – Industry: Hardware Lessons Learned and Technology Path Forward
David McBay, American GeoPower – High Temperature Molten Salt Geothermal Energy Storage System
Lars Lippard, Westinghouse – Some Like it Hot: Development of the Westinghouse High-Temperature Reservoir Technology
Eric Watson, Energy Dome – Energy Dome TMCES 2026
Bill Capp, StorWorks Power – StorWorks Power TMCES 2026
Panel Session – High Temperature Solid Media Storage
John O’Donnell, Rondo Energy – Infrastructure for Today’s Grid; Fast, Clean Power for AI
Elif Asar, Electrified Thermal Solutions – Development and Progress of the Joule Hive™ Thermal Battery
Scott McNally, Tempo Energy – Thermochemical Energy Storage for Industrial Heat and Datacenters
Alex Elliott, Fourth Power – Engineering Novel Large-Scale Solid Media Storage to be Inherently Safe
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