Heating up low-cost materials to store energy
Agriculture & Energy
This startup offers a zero-carbon, low-cost solution for industrial heat and power grids
Spotted: Heat remains one of the world’s most significant energy products, accounting for at least 50 per cent of energy consumption and 45 per cent of energy-related carbon emissions (excluding power). Decarbonising industrial heat – which accounts for a large proportion of heat-related energy consumption – has therefore been a major goal for climate innovators for some time, yet previous technology to manage heat production and use sustainably has either been unfeasible or expensive. At the same time, heat is emerging as a promising energy storage medium for power grids. Now, US startup RedoxBlox has developed a solution that addresses these challenges and opportunities.
A thermochemical energy storage solution, RedoxBlox’s technology relies on a proprietary material with high energy density, comparable to lithium-ion batteries. Stored in pressure vessels, excess renewable electricity resistively heats this material up to 1500 degrees Celsius, causing it to release oxygen but store energy as heat. To discharge the ‘battery’, air is pumped into the vessel to release the heat, which could be delivered to a gas turbine expander to produce electricity or used as process heat for industrial applications.
The company’s unique energy storage material is made from cheap and abundant ingredients and is non-flammable, non-toxic, and fully recyclable.
Its application to electrical grids facilitates the adoption of renewable energy by evening out power supply and demand. And for industrial processes, the technology significantly reduces carbon emissions by enabling the electrification of heat in manufacturing. Because the system is low-cost and can be designed to deliver heat 24/7, its adoption poses few technological challenges.
The company has raised $9.4M in a Series A financing round led by Khosla Ventures. It has also won an $8.9 million grant from the California Energy Commission and $6.7 million from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
Written By: Joshua Soloman and Matt Hempstead
15th August 2024
Email: contact.eu@redoxblox.com
Website: redoxblox.com
