A considerable share of household waste is not yet recyclable. This non-recyclable waste of over 1 million households is incinerated by ISVAG, an intermunicipal company. The resulting heat is used to generate electricity and provide heat through a heating network. Currently, ISVAG is considering supplying heat to users which cannot be connected through a heating network between the waste incinerator and the user. Therefore, latent thermal energy storage is being investigated as a means of transporting heat.

Heating networks are currently being developed around Antwerp. However, it is not possible to connect all possible heat users due to the high capital investment cost. A different development strategy can be the development of heat islands at locations where several heat users are grouped. These networks are usually supplied by a central temporary heat source (e.g. a gas boiler). The goal is to connect the heat island to the central heating network once the heat demand of the heat island is large enough to justify the cost. The project “Nieuw-Zuid” in Antwerp is an example of such a heat island approach to heating network development.

Instead of using fossil fuels as a temporary solution for a heat island, the heat can also be supplied by a mobile thermal battery. This thermal battery is charged at heat producer and discharged into the local heat island. Latent thermal energy storage is proposed for the battery in order to achieve a high volumetric density.