Emerald Horizon Chief Scientist Müller: Molten Salt Storage delivers up to six percent more energy
EQS-Media / 30.10.2026 / 09:07 CET/CEST
Press Release
October 30, 2026
Emerald Horizon Chief Scientist Müller:
Molten Salt Storage delivers up to six percent more energy
Study in the journal “Energies” – heat of solidification used in a targeted way for the first time
– basis for the DUALstorePLUS industrial storage system
Graz, 30 October 2026 – Researchers from Graz University of Technology (TU Graz) and Graz-based,
publicly listed Emerald Horizon AG have shown for the first time that molten salt storage systems
can also make targeted use of the heat released when the salt solidifies. This yields around six
percent more energy from the same storage volume. For CALstore, the thermal storage unit of the
DUALstorePLUS system, that equals 300 kWh, or a mass saving of almost 2,000 kg. Across ten 20-foot
CALstore containers, it saves one entire container. The results were published on 13 October in
the international journal “Energies”.
“Molten salt storage is a mature technology, but until now it has been leaving energy on the
table,” said Dr Mario J. Müller, Vice President R&D at Emerald Horizon AG. Together with TU Graz,
the team has shown that the heat of solidification can be used in a controlled way. There is also
a clear operating point at which additional energy and high power output go hand in hand.
Until now, salt storage systems, such as those used in solar power plants, have only used the heat
stored when the liquid salt is heated and cooled. For the study, so-called solar salt, a mixture
of sodium and potassium nitrate, was heated to around 550 degrees Celsius in more than 40
experiments and then discharged using compressed air. Below 222 degrees, the salt begins to
crystallise and releases additional heat.
Complete solidification can provide up to ten percent more energy. The findings define the power
range of the CALstore storage unit up to a degree of solidification of around 60 percent. Beyond
that point, the stored heat can serve as standby output, for example for low-temperature trace
heating. The laboratory system completed more than 200 charge and discharge cycles with around
2,400 operating hours, without any corrosion of the vessel or degradation of the salt.
The findings will feed into the thermal module of the DUALstorePLUS storage system, which combines
a lithium iron phosphate battery, a molten salt thermal storage unit and AI-based control. The
system is regarded as a key building block for decarbonising industry. It stores electricity from
renewable sources and supplies it on demand as electricity or as high-temperature heat, for
example for steam generation.
“A large share of industry’s energy demand is process heat, which today mostly comes from fossil
fuels. Those who can supply this heat from stored green electricity make production both
climate-friendly and secure,” said Müller. The battery part of DUALstorePLUS is already available,
and the thermal module for temperatures of up to 550 degrees is scheduled for 2028. The system is
offered as Energy-as-a-Service, with no capital expenditure for customers.
The study was carried out at the Institute of Thermal Engineering at TU Graz and funded by the
Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) as part of the “CALstore” project.
Service: J. Hochenauer, M. J. Müller, C. Hochenauer: Experimental and Numerical Study of a
Laboratory-Scale Salt-Based Thermal Energy Storage (TES) System Focusing on Latent Heat.
Link to the study: [1] https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/19/20/4840
For further information:
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Mario J. Müller
Vice President R&D
Emerald Horizon AG
Email: [2]mueller@emerald-horizon.com
[3] www.emerald-horizon.com
About Emerald Horizon AG
Emerald Horizon AG, headquartered in Graz, was founded in 2019 and develops safe, scalable energy
technology for decarbonising industry and energy supply. Its core products are DUALstorePLUS, a
hybrid energy storage system combining a battery, molten salt thermal storage and AI control, and
SMRX, a thorium-based, accelerator-driven, subcritical energy system. The shares have been listed
on the Vienna Stock Exchange (Standard Market) since 26 June 2026, ticker SMRX, ISIN AT0000A3UZE1.
Headquarters:
Liebenauer Tangente 6, 8041 Graz
Research and Development:
Emerald LaboraTHorium, Karl-Huber-Gasse 15, 8041 Graz
[4] www.emerald-horizon.com
Disclaimer:
“The information contained in this announcement constitutes neither an offer to sell nor a
solicitation of an offer to purchase or subscribe for securities, nor is it a recommendation to
buy or sell securities of the Company. This announcement and the information contained herein are
under no circumstances intended for publication, distribution or transmission, directly or
indirectly, in whole or in part, in or into the United States of America (USA), Australia, Canada,
Japan or South Africa, or any other jurisdiction in which such publication or distribution would
be unlawful. Accordingly, the information is in particular not directed at ‘U.S. Persons’ (as
defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933) or at persons resident or located
in the aforementioned jurisdictions.
Press photo
https://nwr.eqs-cockpit.com/fncls2.ssx?fn=download2_file&code_str=90f64ebd827d1d21226f156b2c57b948
Photo: Emerald Horizon VP R&D DI Dr. Mario J. Müller © Fuchs | All rights reserved.
Media Contact
Ing. Norbert G. Hofer, MBA
Vice President Strategic Communications,
Emerald Horizon AG
Email: [5]hofer@emerald-horizon.com
Mag. Melanie Koch, MA
Media Relations,
Emerald Horizon AG
Mobile: +43 664 54 55 324
Email: [6]koch@emerald-horizon.com
End of Media Release
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Issuer: Emerald Horizon AG
Key word(s): Research/Technology
30.10.2026 CET/CEST This Press Release was distributed by [7]EQS Group
View original content: [8]EQS News
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Language: English
Company: Emerald Horizon AG
Karl-Huber-Gasse 15
8041 Graz
Austria
E-mail: office@emerald-horizon.com
ISIN: AT0000A3UZE1
WKN: A42CXA
Listed: Vienna Stock Exchange (Official Market)
LEI Code: 8945008L6AXTVW4PDF22
EQS News ID: 2425090
End of News EQS Media
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References
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2. mueller@emerald-horizon.com
3. https://nwr.eqs-cockpit.com/fncls2.ssx?fn=redirect&url=e86a7b17c23cd447517dbdb31975ec91&application_id=2425090&site_id=apa_ots_austria~~~18b544d0-9c71-4160-bd95-cc8b9aff9fbf&application_name=news
4. https://nwr.eqs-cockpit.com/fncls2.ssx?fn=redirect&url=e86a7b17c23cd447517dbdb31975ec91&application_id=2425090&site_id=apa_ots_austria~~~18b544d0-9c71-4160-bd95-cc8b9aff9fbf&application_name=news
5. hofer@emerald-horizon.com
6. koch@emerald-horizon.com
7. https://nwr.eqs-cockpit.com/fncls2.ssx?fn=redirect&url=f5d50dc7e8798b6eb177f7955e598e60&application_id=2425090&site_id=apa_ots_austria~~~18b544d0-9c71-4160-bd95-cc8b9aff9fbf&application_name=news
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