CSP Molten Salt Thermal Storage Patents 2026 — PatSnap Eureka
CSP Molten Salt Thermal Storage: 2026 Patent Landscape
Molten salt TES enables CSP plants to dispatch electricity hours after sunset. This dataset spans 2010–2026, covering two-tank, thermocline, PCM, and hybrid charging architectures across 30 retrieved patent documents.
Molten Salt TES: From Commercial Standard to Next-Generation Architectures
Molten salt thermal energy storage in CSP plants operates on sensible heat accumulation using a binary or ternary inorganic salt mixture heated by concentrated solar flux and stored in insulated tanks. The dominant commercial medium is Solar Salt — a binary eutectic of 60% NaNO₃ and 40% KNO₃ — operating between approximately 290°C (cold tank) and 565°C (hot tank).
The field encompasses four principal sub-domains visible in this dataset: two-tank direct and indirect sensible heat storage (the commercial standard), single-tank thermocline storage, phase change material and latent heat storage, and advanced salt formulations and nanofluid enhancement targeting extended operating temperature windows.
Patent filings in this dataset span from 2010 to 2026, with literature publications concentrated between 2014 and 2023, indicating a maturing but still actively evolving field. The most recent filing cluster — from Chinese state-backed institutions — targets coal plant retrofits and solar-coal hybridization, signalling a policy-driven expansion of molten salt TES beyond greenfield CSP.
In this dataset of approximately 30 patent documents, Stamicarbon B.V. and Abengoa Solar each hold 4 patent records, making them the most prolific assignees in retrieved records. China represents the most recent filing activity (2023–2026), while the US and WO jurisdictions dominate the 2011–2020 period in this dataset.
Patent Activity by Technology Cluster and Jurisdiction (Retrieved Records)
Among the approximately 30 patent documents in this dataset, four technology clusters and multiple jurisdictions are represented. US-granted patents dominate the 2011–2020 window, while CN filings represent the most recent activity (2023–2026).
Patent Records by Technology Cluster in This Dataset
Two-tank sensible heat storage and advanced salt/hybrid charging each account for the largest share of patent records in this dataset, with thermocline and PCM clusters representing active but smaller filing groups.
↗ Click bars to explorePatent Records by Jurisdiction and Filing Period in This Dataset
US and WO jurisdictions dominate the 2011–2020 filing period in this dataset, while CN filings represent the most concentrated recent activity from 2021 to 2026 among retrieved records.
↗ Click bars to exploreKey Application Domains for CSP Molten Salt TES Across Geographies
Patent and literature records in this dataset identify four principal application domains for molten salt TES: utility-scale dispatchable electricity, grid storage and fossil plant retrofits, water desalination co-generation, and hybrid solar-geothermal and industrial heat supply.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — 100 MW
A 2020 literature study modelled a 100 MW CSP Linear Fresnel plant with molten salt TES sited in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, assessing techno-economic performance across the high-DNI MENA region. The study is part of a dataset cluster evaluating utility-scale dispatch viability for solar salt two-tank systems in arid climates. This application domain represents the primary commercial use case across the retrieved patent and literature records.
Utility-Scale DispatchChina — Coal Plant Retrofit
Xi’an Thermal Power Research Institute’s US patents (2024, 2025, both active) disclose a dual-parameter cascaded molten salt system to retrofit conventional Chinese thermal power units, charging salts from plant electricity output. A 2026 CN utility model from Guoneng Longyuan Power Technology Engineering Co., Ltd directly addresses thermal stratification instability when mixing hot and cold salt in solar-coal coupled systems. These filings represent the most recent patent cluster in this dataset, signalling China’s policy-driven coal decarbonization strategy.
Grid Storage & RetrofitMENA — CSP Desalination Plants
Aalborg CSP A/S filed a WO 2016 patent for a desalination plant driven by a CSP plant with water-based TES sized at 300–1,500 m³/MW. A 2020 literature study on a CSP Tower solar thermal desalination plant targets a levelized cost of water of US$1.48/m³ using steam storage. Peter B. Choi’s US 2021 active patent introduces a single-phase fluid TES medium combining power generation and desalination in water-scarce CSP-optimal geographies.
Water DesalinationIndia — PCM Combined Storage CSP
Bikash Banerjee filed an IN 2022 pending patent applying a combined PCM reservoir architecture specifically targeting 24-hour uninterrupted generation in the Indian CSP context. ONGC Energy Centre Trust filed a WO 2018 patent claiming a novel ternary salt composite with a melting point of 130–147°C and thermal stability up to 700°C, enabling operation beyond the standard nitrate salt ceiling. India holds 3 patent records in this dataset, reflecting emerging national CSP ambitions in high-DNI regions.
PCM / Latent Heat StorageKey Patent Assignees in CSP Molten Salt TES — Dataset Snapshot
In this dataset of approximately 30 patent documents, Stamicarbon B.V. (MT Innovation Center) and Nest AS each hold the highest filing counts among individual assignees in retrieved records, with Abengoa Solar and Chinese state-affiliated institutes also prominently represented. No single assignee accounts for a majority of all retrieved records in this dataset.
Assignee Filing Counts in Retrieved Records (Dataset Snapshot)
↗ Click bars to exploreStamicarbon B.V. (MT Innovation Center)
Stamicarbon B.V. holds 4 patent records in this dataset spanning WO (2014), EP (2014/2016), and US (2016, 2018) jurisdictions, making it the most patent-prolific single assignee in the core molten salt TES architecture space in retrieved records. Key patents cover the arrangement of a molten salt circuit in fluid communication with a dedicated storage facility — a foundational claim structure widely referenced in the dataset. The US 2018 patent (active) and US 2016 patent (active) anchor the company’s current IP estate in this technology area.
NetherlandsXi’an Thermal Power Research Institute Co., Ltd
Xi’an Thermal Power Research Institute Co., Ltd holds 2 active US patents (2024, 2025) in this dataset, representing the most recent technically substantive patent cluster among retrieved records. Both patents disclose a dual-parameter (high-temperature/low-temperature) cascaded molten salt system designed to retrofit conventional thermal power units by charging salts from plant electricity output. The US 2025 filing (published February 2025, active) is the latest-dated patent in this dataset and signals China’s push into molten salt TES for coal plant decarbonization.
China — CNFive Directional Signals From the Most Recent Filings (2022–2026)
Based on the most recent filings and publications in this dataset (2022–2026), five directional signals are identifiable: solar-coal hybridization, high-temperature salt formulations, sCO₂ Brayton cycle integration, environmental impact reduction of salt supply chains, and dual-use molten salt for industrial decarbonization.
Solar-Coal Hybridization Led by Chinese State Institutions
The 2025 US patent and 2026 CN utility model from Xi’an Thermal Power Research Institute and Guoneng Longyuan respectively signal a Chinese policy-driven push to integrate molten salt TES into coal plant retrofits for dispatchable peak-shaving and carbon reduction. The 2026 CN filing specifically solves thermal stratification instability when mixing hot and cold salt in combined solar-coal systems. This cluster represents the most recent filing activity in this dataset.
High-Temperature Salts and sCO₂ Brayton Cycle Integration
A 2023 literature study identifies nano-enhanced PCMs in solar power towers as the most economical TES configuration for Rankine cycles, while a separate 2023 paper documents a decade-long resurgence of PCM interest for latent heat TES. The 2021 paper on high-temperature latent thermal storage and the 2023 CSP state-of-the-art review both identify sCO₂ Brayton cycles as a priority integration target, requiring storage media operating above 700°C — beyond the 565°C stability limit of conventional NaNO₃-KNO₃ binary salts.
Two-Tank Sensible Heat vs. Single-Tank Thermocline: Key Dimensions
Click any row to explore further.
| Dimension | Two-Tank Sensible Heat | Single-Tank Thermocline |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial Status | Commercial standard; deployed at plants including Archimede (Italy, since 2013) | Demonstrated at pilot scale; porous block variant patented by Korea Inst. Energy Research (US, 2016, active) |
| Salt Medium | Solar Salt (60% NaNO₃ / 40% KNO₃); cold tank ~290°C, hot tank ~565°C | Solar Salt + quartzite or ceramic filler to displace expensive salt volume |
| Operating Temperature | 290°C – 565°C (standard nitrate salt window) | 290°C – 565°C; same salt window but filler reduces salt inventory required |
| Capital Cost Driver | Two separate insulated tanks plus interconnecting piping and pumps | Single vessel; 2014 literature models comparable performance at reduced material cost vs. two-tank |
| Key Patent Example | Stamicarbon B.V. Solar Thermal Energy Storage System (US 2018, active) | Korea Inst. Energy Research — single hot molten salt tank with porous block (US 2016, active) |
| Thermal Stratification | Managed operationally by maintaining physical separation of hot and cold volumes | Relies on stable thermal gradient within one vessel; mixing risk during charge/discharge cycles |
| Assignee Competition | Multiple assignees in this dataset: Stamicarbon, Nest AS, Abengoa, Archimede | Limited assignee competition in this dataset; Korea Inst. Energy Research is primary patent holder |
Frequently Asked Questions: CSP Molten Salt Thermal Storage Patents
Based on retrieved records in this dataset, the dominant commercial medium — Solar Salt (60% NaNO₃ / 40% KNO₃) — operates between approximately 290°C in the cold tank and 565°C in the hot tank. Peter B. Choi’s US 2019 active patent addresses operation above 565°C for next-generation power towers.
In this dataset, Nest AS (Norway) holds 5 patent records across NO (2013), WO (2014), EP (2015), US (2015, 2017) jurisdictions, and Stamicarbon B.V. (MT Innovation Center, Netherlands) also holds 4 patent records across WO, EP, and US — making both the most prolific single assignees in retrieved records for core molten salt TES architecture.
All US Abengoa Solar patents in this dataset carry inactive legal status, reflecting the company’s well-documented financial restructuring. The dataset includes 4 Abengoa records (WO 2013, US 2014 inactive, US 2014 inactive, US 2015 inactive) covering grid-tied TES, PCM HTF methods, and coupled chemical-thermal systems.
The single most recent filing in this dataset is a CN active utility model filed by Guoneng Longyuan Power Technology Engineering Co., Ltd in 2026. It covers a solar-coal coupled power generation system with molten salt heat storage, specifically addressing thermal stratification instability when mixing hot and cold salt in combined systems.
According to a 2019 literature study retrieved in this dataset, adding Al-Cu alloy nanoparticles (encapsulated in Al₂O₃) to Solar Salt demonstrates up to a 17.8% increase in total TES capacity.
A 2023 literature study retrieved in this dataset projects the global TES market growing to approximately US$10.1 billion by 2027, with industrial and cogeneration applications growing at 10.2%.
Data and insights on this page are based on a limited patent and literature dataset and are for reference only. Figures may not represent the complete technology landscape.