The world’s energy landscape is witnessing a major transformation in its infrastructure. The shift to renewable is becoming more prevalent by the day, and new and innovative companies are always finding more efficient ways to power the world. 

One pioneering startup is committed to revolutionizing energy storage. Airthium has developed a groundbreaking mechanical “battery” that boasts 100% recyclability, a longer lifespan and is 1/100th the cost of lithium-ion batteries at $2/MWh. The startup recently launched on Wefunder, which means anyone can invest for a limited time.

Airthium is helping pioneer a revolution in green technology. On a mission to tackle the climate crisis, Airthium aims to curtail the planet’s dependency on fossil fuels. At the core of its solution is an innovative heat engine designed to reduce a remarkable 33% of the world’s direct CO2 emissions.

Airthium’s heat engine can convert electricity to heat and vice versa at temperatures of up to 550°C. This process is performed with exceptional efficiency, low cost, minimal maintenance and zero carbon emissions. By achieving these targets, Airthium has the potential to revolutionize both industrial heat and electric power generation sectors, responsible for 50% of the world’s direct CO2 emissions.

Paleblue: Rechargeable Li-Ion Batteries For Consumer Use

Just as Airthium is taking on Tesla’s lithium-ion battery in the automotive space, Paleblue is making noise in the consumer market. The company sells rechargeable li-ion batteries in six of the most commonly used consumer sizes:  AAA, AA, C, D,  9v and CR123A. Each has an on-board battery management system (BMS) for fast USB-C charging.

Made using li-ion, Paleblue batteries are faster charging, more durable, more reliable and better performing than alkaline single-use batteries and competing rechargeables. With a five-charge return on investment (ROI) compared to standard single-use batteries, a four-pack of Paleblue batteries has the potential to save consumers as much as $1,000 over their life.

Learn more about investing in Paleblue. 

Airthium’s Immediate Focus

Industrial heat, used in sectors such as paper, food and beverage, chemicals and automotive, is the first application targeted by Airthium. Its novel heat pump technology is a reverse heat engine that can produce temperatures higher than any other technology on the market — without depending on fossil fuels. It also promises up to three times the heat output of a resistor for the same energy input.

Airthium’s heat pump technology has the potential to make clean industrial heat more economical than using natural gas, significantly reducing CO2 emissions and creating a cleaner, more sustainable process. The market for heat pumps that operate in the 160°-550°C range, where Airthium currently has no established competitors, is estimated to be worth $13 billion.

In the longer term, Airthium plans to apply its technology to decarbonize electric power generation. Although renewable energy sources like solar and wind are the cheapest forms of energy in many parts of the world, they struggle to provide continuous, reliable power because of their intermittent nature. This creates a necessity for polluting coal-fired and gas-fired power plants to act as backup.

The potential market for seasonal energy storage is estimated to be worth $125 billion per year.

Airthium’s unique approach of targeting industrial heat before moving onto electric power generation mirrors the go-to-market strategy of lithium-ion batteries, which began in small-scale devices before advancing to power cars and eventually the electrical grid.

Following five years of intensive development since participating in Y Combinator in 2017, Airthium is now set to patent its innovative engine. The company is planning to complete its first 550°C prototype by 2023, marking a significant milestone on its journey.