Base load, base load, base load is the cry of our FFF (Fossil Fuel Funded) politicians. This new product from Newcastle University could be the answer. Australian innovators have developed an energy absorption block that can evolve to replace coal in existing thermal power plants. Aging power plants can be kept in service longer, reducing costs for power producers and their customers.

MGA, or Miscibility Gap Alloys, are capable of storing an enormous amount of energy in the form of heat. They are 10 to 100 times more conductive than other materials currently available. Heated by intermittent renewable energies, they can supply basic electricity to the grid.

The blocks are stackable and made from recycled materials. Works like LEGOs – add as many as you want. It is estimated that they can provide power for a quarter of the cost of lithium batteries. MGA blocks can store energy for up to a week. This means they can provide distributable power during the night when Australia’s abundant sun is not available.

The technology is currently being tested in retired power plants in Europe. MGA has a slower response time than batteries and therefore should be paired with other storage solutions for better power. This is another example of no this or this, but all solutions work best together.

A recent $ 8 million capital increase (led by CSIRO) will allow the company to increase production and expand internationally. MGA plans to produce hundreds of thousands of thermal blocks each month.

See how they are made:

Erich Kisi and Alexander Post from Newcastle University describe the blocks as a cake:

“Think of a block like a microwave-heated chocolate chip muffin. The muffin consists of a cake component, which keeps everything in shape when heated, and chocolate chips, which melt.

LEGO blocks? Muffins? Cake? You might be tempted not to take MGA seriously. But it’s not a game, it’s a potential game changer.