Heat exchangers from instant water heaters provided the solution: the sodium hydroxide solution spirals along a pipe, absorbs water vapor and emits heat. While replenishing the store, the 30-percent, “discharged” sodium hydroxide solution trickles downwards around the spiral pipe. Inside the pipe flows 60-degree hot water, which can be produced by a solar collector, for instance. The water from the sodium hydroxide solution evaporates; the water vapor is removed and condensed. The condensation heat is conducted into a geothermal probe, where it is stored. The sodium hydroxide solution that leaves the heat exchanger after charging is concentrated to 50 percent again, i.e. “charged” with thermal energy.