The demand for sustainable ways of dealing with energy and accelerating the energy transition is increasing. Cellcius' heat battery technology makes it possible to store heat and then use it again later, and at a different location. A consortium of investors consisting of Brabant Startup Fonds B.V., Brabantse Ontwikkel Maatschappij, Innovation Industries and Goeie Grutten Impact fund, and co-shareholders TNO and TU Eindhoven, are jointly investing 1.2 million euros in Cellcius. Thanks to this investment, Cellcius can further develop and scale up its heat battery technology. This is an important milestone for the Eindhoven startup and a huge step forward in developing technology that makes it possible to heat without emissions and to drastically reduce CO2 emissions.
The future of heating
One of the greatest energy needs is heat. Heat for heating a home, for example, or heat for hot water for showers. Heat that is currently still mostly extracted from gas. And this while there is an enormous amount of unused heat in the form of residual heat that is discharged in the industrial sector. This residual heat can be stored with the innovative Cellcius heat battery, which works with two simple and safe ingredients: salt and water. Thanks to this smart technology, this is the solution for the loss-free transport of residual heat. This creates opportunities to make heat networks more flexible.
Innovative and scalable
"Cellcius can make a significant contribution to the energy transition in the Netherlands, of which storage and transport of residual heat is a great solution. The technology used by Cellcius, which was co-developed by Eindhoven University of Technology and TNO, can greatly reduce a relevant social problem, namely where heat networks are not available for the utilisation of residual heat. The application is innovative and highly scalable and we believe in the management team's approach." Says Gerard Spanbroek, director of Brabant Startup Fonds B.V.
Flexible heat network practical test without a heat network
The use of low-temperature waste heat offers enormous potential for getting homes and offices off gas. Until now, heat networks are needed to transport heat from the source to the user. The rapid roll-out of heat networks is delayed by high investment risks, the low availability of a nearby heat source and an insufficiently large customer base for the heat network.
In Sittard-Geleen, preparations are being made for a practical test of the heat battery. The Chemelot industrial area has a lot of residual heat available, which could potentially be used to heat tens of thousands of homes. The innovative battery of the Brabant startup Cellcius makes it possible to store heat in modular cassettes through a simple thermochemical process. These cassettes are then transported from the charging point at Chemelot to a discharge point for fifty households in Sittard-Geleen.
Investment makes acceleration possible
The pilot project is made possible by the participating partners; the Eindhoven-based startup Cellcius can participate thanks to its investment. Cellcius will thus get the opportunity to test the heat battery on this scale in practice.
"That such a consortium of investors is getting behind us indicates that we are doing the right thing," said said Evert Rietdijk, CEO of Cellcius. "Thanks to the investment we can take this step, a hugely important step in scaling up the technology. For startups like Cellcius, an investment means an enormous acceleration. And we need that acceleration: We believe that the energy transition must be faster and can be faster and we are going to prove it."
"The investment in Cellcius fits well in our portfolio of impactful companies that contribute to the energy transition. The presence of efficient heat networks plays an important role in heating residential areas without emissions. With the investment of this consortium, Cellcius can put its technology, which can make an important contribution to the wider availability of heat networks, into practice," said Kee Koopmans, Investment Director Goeie Grutten.
"Cellcius plays an important role in the 'Climate Tech' developments in Brabant, one of the pillars in our investment policy," said Marc de Haas and Ilse Massart of the Brabant Development Agency (BOM). We are therefore proud that we are financing the further technology development of Cellcius.
About Cellcius
Cellcius was founded in 2020 to develop and market the technology developed within TNO and TU/e on a commercial basis. The initial focus is on utilising industrial residual heat and making it available at locations where there is a demand for heat.
--
About Brabant Startup Fonds B.V.
The Brabant Startup Fund B.V. invests in innovative and knowledge-intensive startups with social and economic impact in Brabant. These startups develop smart solutions for major societal challenges such as energy transition. By using resources from the fund, Brabant strengthens its position in the European top of innovative regions. The Brabant Startup Fund B.V. supports companies with expertise, infrastructure, a broad network and funding to achieve product-market fit.
About BOM
Entrepreneurship is the driver for change. From sustainable food, a healthy future, climate-neutral energy to the development of promising key technologies. The Brabant Development Agency (BOM) ensures that start-ups that contribute to this with the right support and funding get off to a flying start and can grow their ideas into scale-ups. We also ensure that companies with internationalisation ambitions can realise these. Every year, the BOM achieves impact together with dozens of companies. The BOM is an implementing body of the Province of Noord-Brabant and the Ministry of Economic Affairs & Climate. For more information please visit www.bom.nl
About Goeie Grutten Impact Fund
The Goeie Grutten Impact Fund stands for a sustainable energy transition and the worldwide availability of responsible, healthy and varied food. To this end, the fund builds up a portfolio of investments in a very targeted way. And thus it contributes to a better world. Since its founding in 2015, the Goeie Grutten Impact Fund has made both direct and fund-in-fund investments in the field of responsible, healthy and varied food and the energy transition. From the fund's perspective, we are looking for the best possible cooperation with the investor. For the ideal blend of capital and management and marketing advice. Where necessary, we then assist companies in achieving the intended impact objectives.