The agri-food sector, and specifically the tomato industry, is under significant pressure from the energy prices required for its processes, in addition to the costs associated with CO2 emissions.
The STomSun project, “Research on Phase Change Materials for the Design of a Thermal Energy Storage System for the Tomato Industry,” approved under Decree 146/2022 of December 7, which establishes the regulatory framework for grants to finance industrial research and experimental development projects carried out in public-private partnerships by companies and public agents of the Extremadura science, technology, and innovation system, and approves the first call for projects related to energy storage, arises from the need to find an energy solution or alternative that allows the tomato industry to consume sustainable energy from a renewable and CO2-free source, thus reducing its dependence on natural gas. To this end, a thermal storage system will be investigated that allows the use of solar energy as a renewable energy source. Phase change materials (PCMs) best suited to the requirements of the tomato industry will be studied, taking into account its energy needs, consumption patterns, and operating conditions. A system for storing solar thermal energy using solar collectors will be designed, which will then be used to produce steam according to the industry’s demand.
The overall objective of the project is to investigate sustainable energy alternatives to reduce CO2 emissions and dependence on fossil fuels in the processing tomato sector. In this regard, the following specific scientific and technological objectives are proposed:
Replace the use of fossil fuels with green energy in the tomato industry, using solar thermal energy as an alternative source through solar collectors.
Study and select optimal energy storage materials (ESMs) for the requirements of the tomato concentrate process.
Design an efficient and sustainable thermal energy storage system.
Investigate sustainable materials derived from agricultural waste for the thermal insulation of the energy storage system.
Develop a demonstrator of the energy production and storage system for the industrial tomato concentrate process at laboratory scale.
The expected results are as follows:
Reduced use of fossil fuels (natural gas) in the industrial tomato sector.
Reduction of CO2 emissions produced during the industrial tomato concentrate process.
Increased competitiveness of the tomato industry.
