Energy storage system

An energy storage system for storing heat and cold and for providing electrical energy, the system comprising an energy converter, wherein the energy converter is configured to generate electrical energy from heat and cold and to generate heat and cold from electrical energy;

• wherein the energy converter is in heat exchanging contact with a hot heat exchanger and with a cold heat exchanger;
• and wherein the hot heat exchanger is connected to a heat store and the cold heat exchanger is connected to a cold store;
• and wherein a control unit is provided that operates the energy storage system in a first operating mode in which heat and cold are formed from electrical energy by means of the energy converter and in a second operating mode in which electrical energy is generated from heat and cold,
• a plurality of heat stores and cold stores are provided, and a switching device is provided between the plurality of heat stores and cold stores, respectively, for selectively controlling the associated stores so that they can be individually selected for sequential charging or discharging or jointly selected for simultaneous charging or discharging.