Thermal Energy Storage and the AI Race: Enabling 128 GW of Grid-Ready Capacity by 2030

Thermal Energy Storage and the AI Race: Enabling 128 GW of Grid-Ready Capacity by 2030
As artificial intelligence accelerates global innovation, the explosive growth of AI-powered data centers is projected to add over 128 GW of new electricity demand to the U.S. grid by 2030. In response, the White House is forming the National Energy Dominance Council (NEDC) to develop strategies that ensure U.S. leadership in AI while maintaining grid stability and energy security. But the key question remains: how can we enable this unprecedented growth—quickly, affordably, and at scale?

This panel explores the game-changing role of Thermal Energy Storage (TES) in meeting the AI-driven capacity challenge. Unlike traditional generation or battery storage, TES can be deployed rapidly (in as little as 120 days), offers low Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) compaired to other storage technologies, and requires no interconnection or siting delays—making it an ideal solution to unlock grid capacity where and when it is needed most.
The session will bring together four leading TES providers to showcase real-world applications across diverse sectors:

• Steffes Corporation will present innovations in residential heating TES, enabling flexible, grid-responsive load in homes across the country.
• Trane will demonstrate HVAC-based TES for large commercial buildings, shaping peak loads and enhancing building resilience.
• Michaels Energy will share how TES is being deployed in commercial and industrial refrigeration, including food logistics and cold storage, where round-the-clock reliability is critical. They will also include a case study for a 1.25M sq. ft. data center that uses TES for peak cooling loads.
• Rock Energy will discuss the application of TES in industrial heating, replacing fossil fuels and delivering dispatchable thermal loads.