SCG, through its subsidiary SCG Cleanergy, has joined hands with Rondo Energy, a leading U.S. developer of industrial heat battery technology, to launch Southeast Asia’s first industrial heat battery at SCG’s cement plant in Saraburi Province. This breakthrough innovation enables continuous 24-hour clean energy storage and usage in industrial operations, strengthening business competitiveness and accelerating the transition toward a low-carbon economy across the region.
Mr. Attapong Sathitmanothum, Chief Executive Officer of SCG Cleanergy, said “SCG Cleanergy is dedicated to collaborating with world-class partners who possess strong expertise in integrating advanced technologies, in order to deliver efficient, comprehensive clean energy solutions to our customers across ASEAN. These solutions not only help reduce costs and enhance business competitiveness, but also promote sustainable growth for both communities and the environment.
Our partnership with Rondo Energy brings advanced clean energy innovation, the ‘Heat Battery’, to empower industries with the capability to store and utilize clean energy around the clock. This technology eliminates the limitation of renewable energy availability, which was previously confined to daytime solar power. It perfectly aligns with SCG’s concept of ‘Inclusive Green Growth’ and our ‘Net Zero 2050’ goal, reflecting SCG’s determination to drive Thai and ASEAN industries toward a sustainable low-carbon economy.”
The first ‘industrial heat battery’ project in ASEAN was launched at SCG’s cement plant in Saraburi, where large-scale high-temperature process heat is required. The project enhances the plant’s ability to replace fossil-based heat with clean thermal energy in its production process. SCG Cleanergy plans to expand this solution to other SCG operations and industrial clients across ASEAN, aiming for commercial-scale implementation by 2026.
Mr. Eric Trusiewicz, Chief Executive Officer of Rondo Energy, added “Rondo’s Heat Battery technology has been proven in operation, demonstrating its ability to convert ‘clean electricity’ into stored ‘clean heat’ for industrial use. The unit at SCG’s cement plant in Saraburi is currently the only heat battery in the world capable of generating high-pressure steam for real industrial production, using Rondo Heat Battery (RHB33) technology. This achievement represents a major step forward in reducing industrial carbon emissions globally and provides a model that can be replicated in many regions.
We are proud to partner with SCG, one of Asia’s leading industrial conglomerates, renowned for its commitment to innovation and sustainability. Together with SCG Cleanergy, we successfully built this first-of-its-kind system within eight months, utilizing almost entirely local manufacturers and suppliers. This collaboration clearly demonstrates how advanced global technology can be combined with the efficiency and agility of local supply chains.”
The Industrial Heat Battery is designed as a modular system that can be configured and scaled to suit different industrial applications, ensuring maximum efficiency for each project. Its operation consists of three key stages:
Charge: The system is charged with electricity generated from renewable sources such as wind and solar energy, or from the grid, typically for six to eight hours per day.
Store: The clean electricity is converted into heat through radiant heating elements with zero energy loss, then stored in Thermal Media capable of maintaining temperatures up to 1,500°C for several days.
Discharge: The battery continuously delivers heat for steam generation with an efficiency of up to 97%, enabling uninterrupted 24-hour operation.
This pioneering project also received research funding from the Science, Research, and Innovation Promotion Fund through the Program Management Unit for Competitiveness Enhancement (PMUC). The initiative highlights strong public–private sector collaboration in accelerating the adoption of clean energy technologies that support measurable industrial decarbonization, strengthen energy security, and improve cost management flexibility.
The technology can be applied across various sectors, including food, packaging, chemical, cement, and construction materials, marking a key milestone for SCG Cleanergy in advancing its clean energy solutions toward regional commercial deployment and contributing to the realization of the Net Zero vision in a sustainable manner.
