Dr. Wey Leong

Did you know that a promising, renewable energy storage technique is right under your feet? Wey Leong is developing it. A mechanical engineer with expertise in high-temperature ground thermal storage, he is using computer modelling to develop methods for storing heat energy deep in the ground.

Here’s the premise: In the summer, heat energy from a solar collector is transferred into water that is then pumped down pipes fitted into vertical boreholes drilled in the ground. The heat in the water then transfers into the surrounding earth. Depending on the soil type (moist clay is the best for holding thermal energy), the heat can be retained for months. Then, in the depths of winter, the process can be reversed to bring the heat back to the surface for space heating in homes and buildings. “Aside from minimal electricity to power a pump, the system will be entirely renewable,” says Leong.

Leong and his team are currently getting their hands dirty testing the thermal properties of soil samples from all over Canada. “We want a template for assessing any geographic area based on its potential to store heat underground.”