Founders who go through Carbon13’s programme start with an idea from scratch. We then bring together new co-founders, resources, and the investment they need to turn that idea into reality. A few years later, we see what started in a room at a college in Cambridge grow from testing, to pilot, to full-scale industrial use.
Turning Renewable Energy into Industrial Heat
That is what has happened with Aed Energy, which is making its debut in the $400 to $500 billion industrial heat industry with its new 10 MWh AE-10H thermal energy storage system. In partnership with Central Energy Corporation (Pty) Ltd (CENEC), the system will be deployed at an industrial host site in South Africa. Made possible through new funding from the Innovate UK Energy Catalyst programme, AED has developed a breakthrough solution to decarbonise the 18% of global emissions that come from industrial heat.
Unfortunately, industrial heat is one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise, with many processes requiring temperatures of 600°C and above, 24 hours a day. Conventional batteries don’t have the endurance or flexibility to meet these kinds of demands. What makes AED Energy unique is its ability to turn renewable energy into a reliable source of industrial heat through a thermal battery that stores energy as heat rather than electricity.
Commercial Scale, with Global Potential
Aed Energy is bringing its first commercial-scale deployment to South Africa. With around 3,000 hours of sunshine each year, the country has abundant renewable energy to charge the system.At the same time, industries such as mining, cement and steel are central to the nation’s economy and rely heavily on industrial heat. Combined with grid reliability challenges, thermal energy storage offers a practical solution to help drive decarbonisation. As Aed Energy demonstrates its technology at full industrial scale, the success of this project could pave the way for deployment across a much wider range of industrial sites around the world.
This kind of innovation, with the potential to transform industries, accelerate decarbonisation, and drive economic growth, is exactly what Carbon13 looks for. Carbon13 SEIS Fund X is now open. Invest in the ventures building the breakthrough technologies that will shape the future of energy, industry, and climate.
