The Energy Grid Problem
Our solution
The Energy Grid Problem
The power grid is facing major challenges. The grid capacity is already fully utilized or close to its operational limits. This creates significant barriers for both new industrial developments and existing businesses seeking to expand or electrify their operations.
At the same time, electricity demand is increasing rapidly due to the electrification of transport, industry, and critical infrastructure. The need for reliable power supply and peak capacity continues to grow, while the development of new grid infrastructure is progressing much slower than demand.
Challenges in Today’s Energy System
- Many
regions are experiencing limited or overloaded grid capacity
- New
industrial projects cannot obtain grid connection
- Existing businesses are restricted from further expansion
- Electrification increases pressure on the power grid
-
Deferred
maintenance and historical underinvestment weaken infrastructure
-
Building
new transmission infrastructure is costly and time-consuming
- Increasing shares of solar and wind power create greater variability in energy production
Renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are essential for the green transition, but their production depends on weather conditions and cannot be fully regulated according to demand. This increases the need for energy storage, flexibility, and grid balancing solutions.
Our solution
Our technology stores thermal energy directly in crystalline bedrock using engineered circulation systems designed for maximum heat transfer efficiency. By carefully balancing fluid flow rates with the available rock surface area, the underground storage reservoir can be charged efficiently within a single seasonal cycle.
Unlike conventional thermal storage systems, our solution is built entirely on durable and proven materials such as rock, steel, and concrete — enabling long operational lifetimes, high safety, and low maintenance requirements.
Optimized for Seasonal Energy Storage
Every project is individually designed based on local geological conditions and available energy resources. Using advanced thermal simulations and subsurface modeling, we optimize each system to ensure predictable and reliable heat delivery throughout the entire season.
Our engineering process takes into account:
- Rock thermal conductivity
- Natural geothermal gradients
- Bedrock structure and heat capacity
- Availability of waste heat or surplus energy
- Seasonal heating and cooling demands
Intelligent Control Systems
Integrated control systems continuously regulate circulation and return temperatures to maximize system efficiency. In many applications, this reduces or eliminates the need for additional heat pumps, lowering both operational costs and electricity consumption.
Enabling the Circular Energy Economy
The system can utilize energy from a wide range of sources, including:
- Industrial waste heat
- District heating surplus
- Solar thermal energy
- Excess renewable electricity
- Surplus energy from the power grid
By converting surplus energy into long-term underground thermal storage, the system helps stabilize energy infrastructure, improve energy efficiency, and reduce the need for costly grid expansion.
The Icirc system can operate at significantly higher temperatures than most conventional underground thermal storage solutions. Because the technology relies on the natural thermal stability and heat capacity of crystalline rock, it can safely handle elevated temperatures while maintaining long-term performance and structural integrity.
Large-Scale Seasonal Energy Storage
Compared with conventional Borehole Thermal Energy Storage (BTES), Fracture Thermal Energy Storage (FTES), and Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (ATES), the Icirc technology offers several performance advantages:
- Higher circulation flow rates
- Higher operating temperatures
- Larger active surface area for heat transfer to rock
- More efficient thermal exchange between fluid and bedrock
The ability to operate under pressurized conditions further increases the achievable storage temperatures and overall energy density compared with most existing underground storage technologies.
Safe and Durable Infrastructure
The underground storage system is designed as a sealed and controlled infrastructure with long operational lifetime and minimal environmental impact. By utilizing stable geological formations together with robust materials such as rock, steel, and concrete, the system provides inherently safe thermal energy storage with low maintenance requirements.
Minimal Surface Footprint
Virtually all infrastructure — including wells, pipelines, and technical installations — can be located underground. This minimizes land use, reduces visual impact, and makes the technology suitable for both urban and industrial environments.
Scalable and Expandable Design
Once installed, the system can be expanded both vertically and laterally depending on future energy demands and geological conditions. This allows the storage capacity to grow over time without the need for entirely new infrastructure systems.
We believe future energy systems must be flexible, efficient, and adapted to local geological conditions. Our team is dedicated to transforming subsurface resources into reliable thermal energy storage that supports the green transition.
Please contact us if you would like to learn more about how our energy storage solutions can be applied in your specific setting. We are always open for discussions, collaborations, and new opportunities.
Contact us
Our proprietary iCirc technology builds further on these principles by optimizing circulation, thermal recovery, and long-term storage performance in fractured geological environments.
Several scientific studies and field investigations have demonstrated the advantages of fracture-based thermal storage systems compared with traditional borehole-based solutions, particularly in terms of thermal efficiency, storage capacity, and geological adaptability. Selected publications and research references illustrating these advantages can be provided upon request
CEO & Founder
eivind@ishi.no
Telephone: +4799230248
ISHI Energy AS
Welhavensgate 46
5006 Bergen
Norway