IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v409y2026ics0306261926001315.html

Advanced phase change material-thermal energy storage for low-carbon heat: materials, reliability, and AI-driven system integration for industry, buildings, and data centers

Author

Listed:
  • Jayabal, Ravikumar
  • Sekar, S.
  • Leo, G.M. Lionus
  • Ayyar, Manikandan
  • Soudagar, Manzoore Elahi M.
  • Santhamoorthy, M.
  • Rajendran, Saravanan
  • Shanmugapriya, D.

Abstract

Decarbonizing industrial heat, buildings, and data centers at scale need thermal energy storage (TES) that is compact, reliable, and easy to use. Phase change material (PCM)-based TES stores and releases heat at nearly constant temperatures in a small space. But its adoption is slowed by slow heat transfer, material degradation over repeated use, and a patchwork approach to combining materials, systems, and controls. This review provides an overview of PCM TES, including how materials are manufactured, how they degrade, how they fit into larger systems, new ways to control them, and their cost-effectiveness. We look at different types of PCMs, how they are packaged, how they age, how to predict their lifespans, and new control methods such as model-based control and digital systems. The main result is a guide connecting PCM properties and how they break down to how the system is set up, how smart controls work, and what it costs to store energy, filling a key gap in current research. Results show that reliable design and advanced controls improve response, allow more than 10,000 cycles, and cut stored energy cost below 0.05 €/kWh with frequent use. Examples from factories, buildings, and data centers show PCM TES cuts carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and helps balance the electricity grid. The review concludes with practical advice and research tips to accelerate the rollout of reliable, smart, and affordable PCM TES for low-carbon energy use.

Suggested Citation

  • Jayabal, Ravikumar & Sekar, S. & Leo, G.M. Lionus & Ayyar, Manikandan & Soudagar, Manzoore Elahi M. & Santhamoorthy, M. & Rajendran, Saravanan & Shanmugapriya, D., 2026. "Advanced phase change material-thermal energy storage for low-carbon heat: materials, reliability, and AI-driven system integration for industry, buildings, and data centers," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 409(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:409:y:2026:i:c:s0306261926001315
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2026.127479
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261926001315
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2026.127479?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Oró, E. & de Gracia, A. & Castell, A. & Farid, M.M. & Cabeza, L.F., 2012. "Review on phase change materials (PCMs) for cold thermal energy storage applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 513-533.
    2. Kuznik, Frédéric & David, Damien & Johannes, Kevyn & Roux, Jean-Jacques, 2011. "A review on phase change materials integrated in building walls," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 379-391, January.
    3. Jawaad A. Ansari & Refat Al-Shannaq & Jamal Kurdi & Shaheen A. Al-Muhtaseb & Charles A. Ikutegbe & Mohammed M. Farid, 2021. "A Rapid Method for Low Temperature Microencapsulation of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) Using a Coiled Tube Ultraviolet Reactor," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-19, November.
    4. Mohamed, Shamseldin A. & Al-Sulaiman, Fahad A. & Ibrahim, Nasiru I. & Zahir, Md. Hasan & Al-Ahmed, Amir & Saidur, R. & Yılbaş, B.S. & Sahin, A.Z., 2017. "A review on current status and challenges of inorganic phase change materials for thermal energy storage systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 1072-1089.
    5. Waqas, Adeel & Ud Din, Zia, 2013. "Phase change material (PCM) storage for free cooling of buildings—A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 607-625.
    6. Khaled Alassaad & James Minto & Pieter de Wilde, 2025. "Enhancing Building Thermal Performance: A Review of Phase Change Material Integration," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-43, June.
    7. Stefano Barberis & Simone Maccarini & Syed Safeer Mehdi Shamsi & Alberto Traverso, 2023. "Untapping Industrial Flexibility via Waste Heat-Driven Pumped Thermal Energy Storage Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-24, August.
    8. Chen, Yujing & Sha, Aimin & Lu, Qun & Jiang, Wei & Cao, Yangsen & Hu, Kui & Li, Chao & Du, Peidong, 2025. "Solar-to-heat conversion control of pavement through thermochromic coating: Integration of thermal management and visual temperature indication," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 333(C).
    9. Ibrahim, Nasiru I. & Al-Sulaiman, Fahad A. & Rahman, Saidur & Yilbas, Bekir S. & Sahin, Ahmet Z., 2017. "Heat transfer enhancement of phase change materials for thermal energy storage applications: A critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 26-50.
    10. Muhammad Saqib & Rafal Andrzejczyk, 2023. "A review of phase change materials and heat enhancement methodologies," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 12(3), May.
    11. Ioan Sarbu & Calin Sebarchievici, 2018. "A Comprehensive Review of Thermal Energy Storage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-32, January.
    12. Rodríguez-Pastor, D.A. & Carvajal, E. & Becerra, J.A. & Soltero, V.M. & Chacartegui, R., 2024. "Methanol-based thermochemical energy storage (TCES) for district heating networks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    13. Zhou, Zhihua & Zhang, Zhiming & Zuo, Jian & Huang, Ke & Zhang, Liying, 2015. "Phase change materials for solar thermal energy storage in residential buildings in cold climate," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 692-703.
    14. Jayathunga, D.S. & Karunathilake, H.P. & Narayana, M. & Witharana, S., 2024. "Phase change material (PCM) candidates for latent heat thermal energy storage (LHTES) in concentrated solar power (CSP) based thermal applications - A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    15. Patricia Royo & Luis Acevedo & Álvaro J. Arnal & Maryori Diaz-Ramírez & Tatiana García-Armingol & Victor J. Ferreira & Germán Ferreira & Ana M. López-Sabirón, 2021. "Decision Support System of Innovative High-Temperature Latent Heat Storage for Waste Heat Recovery in the Energy-Intensive Industry," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-13, January.
    16. Du, Kun & Calautit, John & Wang, Zhonghua & Wu, Yupeng & Liu, Hao, 2018. "A review of the applications of phase change materials in cooling, heating and power generation in different temperature ranges," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 242-273.
    17. Seyed Soheil Mousavi Ajarostaghi & Mohammad Zaboli & Hossein Javadi & Borja Badenes & Javier F. Urchueguia, 2022. "A Review of Recent Passive Heat Transfer Enhancement Methods," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-60, January.
    18. Li, Wei & Zhang, Rong & Jiang, Nan & Tang, Xiao-fen & Shi, Hai-feng & Zhang, Xing-xiang & Zhang, Yuankai & Dong, Lin & Zhang, Ningxin, 2013. "Composite macrocapsule of phase change materials/expanded graphite for thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 57(C), pages 607-614.
    19. Zhou, D. & Zhao, C.Y. & Tian, Y., 2012. "Review on thermal energy storage with phase change materials (PCMs) in building applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 593-605.
    20. Hu, Yige & Wang, Hang & Chen, Hu & Ding, Yang & Liu, Changtian & Jiang, Feng & Ling, Xiang, 2023. "A novel hydrated salt-based phase change material for medium- and low-thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 274(C).
    21. Aydin, Devrim & Casey, Sean P. & Riffat, Saffa, 2015. "The latest advancements on thermochemical heat storage systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 356-367.
    22. Akeiber, Hussein & Nejat, Payam & Majid, Muhd Zaimi Abd. & Wahid, Mazlan A. & Jomehzadeh, Fatemeh & Zeynali Famileh, Iman & Calautit, John Kaiser & Hughes, Ben Richard & Zaki, Sheikh Ahmad, 2016. "A review on phase change material (PCM) for sustainable passive cooling in building envelopes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1470-1497.
    23. Tyagi, V.V. & Kaushik, S.C. & Tyagi, S.K. & Akiyama, T., 2011. "Development of phase change materials based microencapsulated technology for buildings: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 15(2), pages 1373-1391, February.
    24. Ferrer, Gerard & Solé, Aran & Barreneche, Camila & Martorell, Ingrid & Cabeza, Luisa F., 2015. "Review on the methodology used in thermal stability characterization of phase change materials," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 665-685.
    25. Rathod, Manish K. & Banerjee, Jyotirmay, 2013. "Thermal stability of phase change materials used in latent heat energy storage systems: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 18(C), pages 246-258.
    26. Liu, Chenzhen & Cheng, Qingjiang & Li, Baohuan & Liu, Xinjian & Rao, Zhonghao, 2023. "Recent advances of sugar alcohols phase change materials for thermal energy storage," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    27. Liang, Jiahui & Wu, Shaocong & Lu, Tianguang, 2026. "Portfolio selection and optimal planning for hydrogen energy storage systems composed of heterogeneous electrolyzer and fuel cell technologies in industrial park multi-energy systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 403(PB).
    28. Eneja Osterman & Claudio Del Pero & Eva Zavrl & Fabrizio Leonforte & Niccolò Aste & Uroš Stritih, 2023. "Phase-Change Material Thermal Energy Storage for the Smart Retrofitting of Existing Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-13, August.
    29. Castell, Albert & Menoufi, Karim & de Gracia, Alvaro & Rincón, Lídia & Boer, Dieter & Cabeza, Luisa F., 2013. "Life Cycle Assessment of alveolar brick construction system incorporating phase change materials (PCMs)," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 600-608.
    30. Agyenim, Francis & Hewitt, Neil & Eames, Philip & Smyth, Mervyn, 2010. "A review of materials, heat transfer and phase change problem formulation for latent heat thermal energy storage systems (LHTESS)," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 615-628, February.
    31. Ghadim, H. Benisi & Godin, A. & Veillere, A. & Duquesne, M. & Haillot, D., 2025. "Review of thermal management of electronics and phase change materials," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    32. Khan, Mohammed Mumtaz A. & Saidur, R. & Al-Sulaiman, Fahad A., 2017. "A review for phase change materials (PCMs) in solar absorption refrigeration systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 105-137.
    33. Wong-Pinto, Liey-Si & Milian, Yanio & Ushak, Svetlana, 2020. "Progress on use of nanoparticles in salt hydrates as phase change materials," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    34. Nadia Parwaty Wijanarko & Sindu Daniarta & Piotr Kolasiński, 2025. "A Systematic Review of Biopolymer Phase Change Materials for Thermal Energy Storage: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Direction," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-45, August.
    35. Fleuchaus, Paul & Godschalk, Bas & Stober, Ingrid & Blum, Philipp, 2018. "Worldwide application of aquifer thermal energy storage – A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 861-876.
    36. Marta Kuta & Agata Mlonka-Mędrala & Ewelina Radomska & Andrzej Gołdasz, 2025. "Mobile Thermal Energy Storage—A Review and Analysis in the Context of Waste Heat Recovery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-24, August.
    37. Sharma, Atul & Tyagi, V.V. & Chen, C.R. & Buddhi, D., 2009. "Review on thermal energy storage with phase change materials and applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 318-345, February.
    38. Leland Weiss & Ramanshu Jha, 2023. "Small-Scale Phase Change Materials in Low-Temperature Applications: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-24, March.
    39. Belayneh Semahegn Ayalew & Rafał Andrzejczyk, 2025. "Recent Advancements in Latent Thermal Energy Storage and Their Applications for HVAC Systems in Commercial and Residential Buildings in Europe—Analysis of Different EU Countries’ Scenarios," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-35, July.
    40. Idris Al Siyabi & Sourav Khanna & Tapas Mallick & Senthilarasu Sundaram, 2018. "Multiple Phase Change Material (PCM) Configuration for PCM-Based Heat Sinks—An Experimental Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-14, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zeinelabdein, Rami & Omer, Siddig & Gan, Guohui, 2018. "Critical review of latent heat storage systems for free cooling in buildings," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 2843-2868.
    2. Rostami, Sara & Afrand, Masoud & Shahsavar, Amin & Sheikholeslami, M. & Kalbasi, Rasool & Aghakhani, Saeed & Shadloo, Mostafa Safdari & Oztop, Hakan F., 2020. "A review of melting and freezing processes of PCM/nano-PCM and their application in energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 211(C).
    3. Memon, Shazim Ali, 2014. "Phase change materials integrated in building walls: A state of the art review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 870-906.
    4. Akeiber, Hussein & Nejat, Payam & Majid, Muhd Zaimi Abd. & Wahid, Mazlan A. & Jomehzadeh, Fatemeh & Zeynali Famileh, Iman & Calautit, John Kaiser & Hughes, Ben Richard & Zaki, Sheikh Ahmad, 2016. "A review on phase change material (PCM) for sustainable passive cooling in building envelopes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 1470-1497.
    5. Ahmad, Abrar & Memon, Shazim Ali & Dang, Hongtao & Sari, Ahmet & Gencel, Osman, 2025. "Breaking new ground: A first-of-its-kind critical analysis of review articles on phase change materials for building applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 392(C).
    6. Soares, N. & Bastos, J. & Pereira, L. Dias & Soares, A. & Amaral, A.R. & Asadi, E. & Rodrigues, E. & Lamas, F.B. & Monteiro, H. & Lopes, M.A.R. & Gaspar, A.R., 2017. "A review on current advances in the energy and environmental performance of buildings towards a more sustainable built environment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 845-860.
    7. Ge, Haoshan & Li, Haiyan & Mei, Shengfu & Liu, Jing, 2013. "Low melting point liquid metal as a new class of phase change material: An emerging frontier in energy area," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 331-346.
    8. Du, Kun & Calautit, John & Wang, Zhonghua & Wu, Yupeng & Liu, Hao, 2018. "A review of the applications of phase change materials in cooling, heating and power generation in different temperature ranges," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 242-273.
    9. Khan, Mohammed Mumtaz A. & Saidur, R. & Al-Sulaiman, Fahad A., 2017. "A review for phase change materials (PCMs) in solar absorption refrigeration systems," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 105-137.
    10. Nie, Binjian & Palacios, Anabel & Zou, Boyang & Liu, Jiaxu & Zhang, Tongtong & Li, Yunren, 2020. "Review on phase change materials for cold thermal energy storage applications," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    11. Soares, N. & Gaspar, A.R. & Santos, P. & Costa, J.J., 2015. "Experimental study of the heat transfer through a vertical stack of rectangular cavities filled with phase change materials," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 192-205.
    12. Dubey, Abhayjeet kumar & Sun, Jingyi & Choudhary, Tushar & Dash, Madhusmita & Rakshit, Dibakar & Ansari, M Zahid & Ramakrishna, Seeram & Liu, Yong & Nanda, Himansu Sekhar, 2023. "Emerging phase change materials with improved thermal efficiency for a clean and sustainable environment: An approach towards net zero," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    13. Li, Zhi & Lu, Yiji & Huang, Rui & Chang, Jinwei & Yu, Xiaonan & Jiang, Ruicheng & Yu, Xiaoli & Roskilly, Anthony Paul, 2021. "Applications and technological challenges for heat recovery, storage and utilisation with latent thermal energy storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 283(C).
    14. Kenisarin, Murat & Mahkamov, Khamid, 2016. "Passive thermal control in residential buildings using phase change materials," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 371-398.
    15. Lizana, Jesús & Chacartegui, Ricardo & Barrios-Padura, Angela & Ortiz, Carlos, 2018. "Advanced low-carbon energy measures based on thermal energy storage in buildings: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 82(P3), pages 3705-3749.
    16. Yang, Lizhong & Villalobos, Uver & Akhmetov, Bakytzhan & Gil, Antoni & Khor, Jun Onn & Palacios, Anabel & Li, Yongliang & Ding, Yulong & Cabeza, Luisa F. & Tan, Wooi Leong & Romagnoli, Alessandro, 2021. "A comprehensive review on sub-zero temperature cold thermal energy storage materials, technologies, and applications: State of the art and recent developments," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 288(C).
    17. Xing, Zhuoqun & Pan, Yiqun & Yin, Rongxin & Yuan, Xiaolei & Liang, Yumin & Jia, Xiaoyu & Huang, Zhizhong, 2025. "Phase change materials for flexible refrigerated warehouses: a multi-level review of material properties, system integration, and control strategies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 401(PC).
    18. Zeng, Cheng & Liu, Shuli & Shukla, Ashish, 2017. "Adaptability research on phase change materials based technologies in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 145-158.
    19. Amaral, C. & Vicente, R. & Marques, P.A.A.P. & Barros-Timmons, A., 2017. "Phase change materials and carbon nanostructures for thermal energy storage: A literature review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 1212-1228.
    20. Su, Weiguang & Darkwa, Jo & Kokogiannakis, Georgios, 2015. "Review of solid–liquid phase change materials and their encapsulation technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 373-391.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:409:y:2026:i:c:s0306261926001315. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.