Among the numerous decarbonization solutions under development, three major carbon capture applications stand out today: industrial point source carbon capture, direct air capture (DAC) and bioenergy with carbon capture. Although industrial point source carbon capture appears to be the main focus for most decarbonization roadmaps thanks to increasingly mature and cost-effective technologies driving greater deployment across industrial sites, several challenges must be addressed before it can reach sufficient scale, including policy and regulatory support, access to funding, public acceptance and further cost improvement.

Carbon Capture-as-a-Service (CCaaS) is a business model that is gaining ground in part to circumvent the huge CAPEX hurdles encountered in these type of infrastructure projects. By opting for a one-stop shop solution that handles the entire value chain, hard-to-abate industries can pay to capture their CO2 emissions on a per-ton basis, while other specialized actors take on the risk (and potential financial reward) of managing the full value chain from capture to utilization or storage.

In January, Aster Fab moderated a panel featuring Tim Cowan (VP Corporate Development at Carbon Clean), Silvia Gentilucci (Technology Onshore Planning at SAIPEM) and Michael Evans (CEO of Cambridge Carbon Capture) to discuss the strengths and prospects of the CCaaS business model.

Takeaways from the discussion included:

According to the latest Global Carbon Budget published in November 2022, if emissions are not reduced through decarbonization technologies such as Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS), the world will have exhausted its 1.5°C carbon budget – the cumulative amount of CO2 emissions permitted over a period of time to keep within the 1.5°C threshold – in nine years. Indeed, the equation highlighted is quite simple: there are about 380Gt of CO₂-equivalent emissions left in the 1.5°C budget, and right now we use just over 40Gt of it each year.

As such, CCUS is recognized as a necessary piece of the decarbonization jigsaw, but the adoption isn’t moving fast enough. According to a McKinsey analysis, CCUS adoption must increase 120-fold by 2050 for countries to achieve their net-zero reduction goals, reaching at least 4.2 gigatons per annum (GTPA) of CO₂ captured.

In 2021, Decarb Connect conducted a benchmarking survey of industry attitudes towards CCUS that revealed that 65% of executives working in hard-to-abate industries see CCUS as ‘critical’ or ‘important’ for reaching their 2030/2050 goals. It also reveals that 41% are favorable to as CCaaS model, while 59% prefer a mix of funded and owned CCUS. In other words, no executive opted for the traditional model of owning and operating the infrastructure themselves.

Thus, the CCaaS business model appears to be a promising way to accelerate the adoption of carbon capture technology for industrial players:

• No required upfront capital expenditure
• Duty to contract with each player of the value chain is delegated

“At Carbon Clean, we use our leading technology to capture CO₂. and will work with partners to provide the other crucial elements of the value chain: compression, transportation, sequestration or utilization. Our mission is to work with industrial partners to offer an end-to-end handling of our customers’ CO₂.” Tim Cowan, VP Corporate Development at Carbon Clean.

Tax credits, direct subsidies and price support mechanisms are beginning to encourage investment in CCUS. The US, for example, has a 45Q-tax credit that provides a fixed payment per ton of carbon dioxide sequestered or used. The IRA (Inflation Reduction Act) has increased the amount of the credit from $50 to $85 a ton for sequestered industrial or power emission, and from $50 to $180 a ton for emissions captured from the atmosphere and sequestered.  In other words, they provide a direct revenue stream immediately improving the investment case for low-carbon technologies, such as CCUS. What the IRA calls tax credits, the EU calls State Aid. Yet, the panelists affirm that while the EU led the whole decarbonization movement for 30 years, the EU is now behind in terms of policy.

Another element is the uneven distribution of storage sites across Europe. Often illustrated as the ‘chicken and egg’ paradox, there is a need to scale the value chain as a whole, including storage infrastructure. Indeed, a carbon capture plant will not start operating until the captured CO₂ can be transported and then either permanently stored or used.  Similarly, no large-scale carbon storage project will be financed without clear commitments regarding the origin and volume of CO2 to be stored, as it determines the financial viability of the overall project.

Norway’s Longship project, which is sponsored by the Norwegian government, aims to solve this problem by supporting the whole value chain from carbon capture to transportation and storage. Captured emissions will be transported by tankship and stored deep underground using Northern Light’s open-access CO₂ transport and storage infrastructure.

Finally, speakers also emphasized that addressing public concerns around the safety of these technologies will be paramount. Communicating that carbon capture is safe, effective and a needed method of climate change mitigation, can help bring people on-board and ensure that projects overcome development hurdles. “I think honesty in the media about the situation would be a true incentive. If the public understood how urgent the situation is, and understood more about the technology, there would be a lot more action”. Michaels Evans, CEO of Cambridge Carbon Capture

Context 

Our client was the M&A department of a leading nuclear company.

Until now, the department had always taken majority stakes in established companies. However, an interesting opportunity for a minority investment in an innovative start-up was presented to them by a Business Unit of the group.

Aster Fab’s mission was to assist the department in evaluating the opportunity and then in structuring the investment proposal.

Mission

• Valuation of the startup using five different methods (comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, DCF analysis, R&D headcount, replacement cost value)
• Creation of a business plan in coordination with the Head of Business Unit to identify the business potential of such a partnership
• Structuring the investment proposal by drafting the letter of intent setting out the terms, governance, management package, performance criteria, etc
• Assistance, coordination and negotiation with all stakeholders throughout the process
• Support in the preparation of separate documents for the governance bodies

Key figures

Context 

Our client has long been a leading manufacturer of machinery for the construction, agricultural and logistics sectors.

More specifically, in recent years, the group has been developing electric machinery. Within the framework of this strategic orientation, our client has a double challenge: to invest in innovative technologies and to develop its electric vehicle business in order to present a competitive offer that meets the market’s needs.

Aster Fab’s mission was to support our client in the closing of a deal with a modular battery startup. In addition, Aster Fab has been commissioned to work on other M&A deals carried out by the group.

Mission

• Valuation of the startup using five different methods (comparable company analysis, precedent transactions, DCF analysis, R&D headcount, replacement cost value)
• Structuring the acquisition proposal by drafting the letter of intent setting out the terms, governance, management package, performance criteria, etc
• Assistance, coordination and negotiation with all stakeholders throughout the process until the completion of the transaction
• Support in the preparation of separate documents for the governance bodies: Audit Comittee, Strategic Committee and Board of Directors
• Coordination of the due diligence and the closing of the deal

Key figures

123Fab #95

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

Generating renewable power is vital to the world’s decarbonization efforts. But so too will be developing the energy storage systems that are required at times when the intermittency of solar and wind power prevents energy production. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s Net Zero scenario, installed grid-scale battery storage capacity expands 44-fold between 2021 and 2030 to 680 GW.

Amongst the various stationary battery energy systems, lithium-ion batteries have been stealing the spotlight in recent few years due to their success in e-mobility. While they account for 90% of battery applications, even lithium iron phosphate, the most competitive type of lithium-ion battery, is beginning to look economically uncompetitive compared to emerging, alternative solutions. Last week’s announcement by BASF Stationary Energy Storage GmbH (wholly owned subsidiary of BASF SE) and G-Philos (Korea’s leader in power-to-gas technology) to intensify their cooperation on sodium-sulfur (NAS) stationary batteries is an example of this.

But what are the other alternatives in the space?

A number of companies are working on new battery chemistries based on zinc, iron and other low-cost materials. Fundraising in the startup ecosystem is a strong signal:

• Form Energy (United States) raised $450M in October 2022 and has developed an iron-air battery
• H2 (South Korea) raised $15M in October 2021 and has developed a vandium redox flox battery
• EnerVenue (United States) raised $137M in September 2021 and has developed a nickel-hydrogen battery
• Ambri (United States) raised $144M in August 2021 and has developed a high-temperature calcium-antimony battery 
• Sila NanoTechnologies (United States) raised $600M in January 2021 and has developed a silicon battery
• Tiamat (France) raised $4.2M in October 2018 and has developed a sodium-ion battery

Researchers are also exploring other chemistries such as aluminium-ion batteries (paper) and potassium-ion batteries (paper). Indeed, aluminium is one of the most abundant materials on earth (reducing the cost) and has demonstrated great potential for high energy density systems. Although at a more embryonic stage, the significant advantage of potassium is also its abundance.

Many of these batteries already rival lithium-ion in capabilities but are lagging in capital investiture and manufacturing infrastructure, playing catch-up with an already established sector of the industry. Thus, the European Commission has notably launched the NAIADES (sodium-ion batteries), SOLSTICE (sodium-zinc batteries) and CARBAT (calcium-ion batteries) projects to help fund the research in these spaces. Live installations are also visible. France-based startup Tiamat, developer of a sodium-ion battery, has joined forces with Plastic Omnium in the automotive industry and with Startec to extend applications to other hybrid industries such as rail and aerospace. While Schlumberger has invested and signed a collaboration agreement with EnerVenue, developer of a nickel-hydrogen battery.

In short, lithium-ion batteries will continue to dominate battery technology for stationary energy storage in the short term, driven by the EV sector. But in the long term, alternatives to lithium-ion are set to play an increasingly important role in stationary energy battery storage systems.

2 Key Figures

The stationary battery market is projected to reach $224.3 bn by 2030

The market was valued at $31.2 bn in 2021 and is projected to reach $224.3 bn by 2030, at a CAGR of 24.9%

>30 funded companies

Tracxn

3 startups to draw inspiration from

Form Energy

US-based startup founded in 2009 that has developed an iron-air energy storage system for renewable energy storage. Claims to store energy at less than 1/10th the cost of lithium-ion battery technology.

H2

South Korea-based startup founded in 2010 that has developed a vandium redox flox battery. This month the startup begun construction of a factory with 330MWh annual manufacturing capacity in the city of Gyeryong-si, one year after the 20MWh project in California.

Tiamat

France-based startup founded in 2017 that has developed a sodium-ion battery. Partnerships include Plastic Omnium and Startec.

Please fill out our contact form so that we can get back to you very quickly with our product offer.

123Fab #94

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

In September, Munich-based startup Orcan Energy raised €28.5M from investors, including TiLT capital (French private equity investment) and existing investor Air Liquid Venture Capital. The startup’s technology is designed to turn waste heat into clean electricity. With 502 modules worldwide, Orcan Energy is the world’s second largest supplier of waste heat-to-power technologies, behind Ormat, a power generator that has been operating internationally since 1965 with 1,226 solutions.

This fundraising round reflects the trend of increasing global demand for waste heat recovery solutions. Indeed, the global market was valued at $59.4 bn in 2020 and is projected to reach $114.7 bn by 2028, at a CAGR of 9.2%. The main drivers are rising fuel and electricity prices, as well as the imperative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all industrial sectors. Indeed, waste heat is a primary source of recoverable energy loss, offering significant potential for greenhouse gas emissions reduction. Total waste heat emissions account for 23 –53% of global input energy, with a range of theoretical recovery potentials of 6–12% (Oxford University).

Industrial waste heat is, by definition, the excess heat produced during industrial processes which is releasted into the environment. Residual heat sources are transferred by conduction, convection and radiation. There are three categories: losses at high-temperature (> 400°C) which mostly arise from the direct combustion processes; at medium-temperature (200 – 400°C) from the exhaust gases in combustion units; at low-temperature (< 200°C) from parts, products and equipment of the treatment units. Low-temperature losses represent the largest share accounting for a total of 66%, 29% for medium-temperature and 5% for high-temperature (Interreg Central Europe).

But which waste heat recovery (WHR) technologies exist? And what are their maturity?

Technologies can be categorized as passive or active technologies. This depends on whether external energy input is required or not.

• Heat exchange (passive): contains the technologies through which the recovered waste heat is used directly at the same or lower temperature (e.g., plate heat exchanger, thermal energy storage systems)
• Waste heat to heat (active): through which recovered waste heat is used to produce thermal energy at a higher temperature level (e.g., heat pumps, mechanical steam compression);
• Waste heat to cold (active): contains the technologies through which recovered waste heat is used to produce cooling energy (e.g., absorption and adsorption chillers);
• Waste heat to power (active): contains the technologies through which recovered waste heat is converted into electricity (e.g., Organic Rankine cycles, Kalina cycles, Supercritical CO2 cycles, etc.);

The underlined technologies are the most representative of their category.

Numerous industries can benefit from waste heat recovery systems such as glass manufacturing, cement manufacturing, iron and steel manufacturing, aluminum production, metal casting, industrial boilers, ethylene furnaces, etc. As such, pilot projects have been developed by leading players in the space.

Cement manufacturing

CEMEX has joined forces with Orcan Energy for the establishment of a waste heat recovery plant at its Rüdersdorf, Brandenburg, cement plant. Orcan Energy will supply six generator modules for the installation using its Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology.

Chemical and petrochemical

BASF and MAN Energy Solutions have entered into a strategic partnership to pursue the construction of an industrial-scale heat pump at the BASF site in Ludwigshafen.

Glass manufacturing

Beginning of the year, Saint-Gobain announced its plans to install heat recovery technology at its gypsum wallboard plant in Vancouver.

Iron and steel manufacturing

Tata Steel UK took part in the H2020-funded project “Industrial thermal energy recovery conversion and management”.

Yet, there are practical limits (technical and economic) with respect to the recovery potential of those losses. Factors that influence the feasibility of WHR options include heat quantity, heat temperature (quality), composition and logistical constraints like operating schedules and availability. As such, there are no particular barriers to heat recovery at high temperatures: this process is more feasible, mainly due to the availability of more mature technologies and the greater energetic efficiencies involved, which results in a more immediate economic return. As regards to low temperatures, the situation is different; due to its low exergy, low-grade waste heat is more difficult to capture & use.

In short, waste heat recovery has significant potential to increase energy efficiency in industry. Accounting for two thirds of the share, many low-grade heat recovery technologies have been developed in the last decade such as Organic Rankine Cycles (ORC), heat pumps (HP), various heat exchangers, and many other technologies under development. To accelerate their adoption, as well as to educate stakeholders on the topic, numerous Horizon Europe-funded projects have flourished. These include TASIO, LOWUP, EU-MERCI and more.

2 Key Figures

The waste heat recovery market is projected to reach $114.7 bn by 2028

The market was valued at $59.4 bn in 2020 and is projected to reach $114.7 bn by 2028, at a CAGR of 9.2%

38 funded companies

Tracxn

3 startups to draw inspiration from

Orcan Energy

German-based startup founded in 2008 that uses Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology to turn low-temperature waste heat into clean electricity. They have sold more than 500 modules globally.

FutraHeat

England-based startup founded in 2021 that uses high-temperature heat pumps called TurboClaw® to turn waste heat into steam. FutraHeat has joined forces with Honeywell.

Water Horizon

France-based startup founded in 2017 that uses a thermochemical process to recover and store waste heat into mobile thermal batteries. Water Horizon was an EDF Pulse laureate in 2020.

Please fill out our contact form so that we can get back to you very quickly with our product offer.

123Fab #89

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

The March 2022 report by The Court of Auditors indicates that the proportion of French road surfaces requiring maintenance work has risen from 43% to 53% over the last ten years. This increase is hardly surprising given the impact of climate change (freeze-thaw, drought, flooding, etc.) and the increasing weight of vehicles, damaging the tarmac as they pass. As a result, the State is obliged to invest more over the next few years and the law on the orientation of mobility has set a financial trajectory up to 2027 and beyond – eventually exceeding 1 billion euros per year. However, one technology could radically change the situation in the future: self-healing materials.

Since the 2000s, a number of self-healing materials have emerged. They use healing agents such as embedded microcapsules filled with glue-like chemicals or even living micro-organisms, the use of materials with internal vascular circulation like blood, shape-memory materials, or reversible polymers. Self-healing materials offer many promising possibilities in the construction sector, but also have potential applications in everything from 3D nanostructure to spacecraft.

Concrete

Concrete is the second most used substance on the planet after water, according to The Guardian, and forms the basis of modern construction. However, it comes at a huge environmental and financial cost, both in terms of the energy used to create it and its condition after use. Start-up Basilisk, a pioneer in this field, is now commercializing its self-healing concrete solution. The technology is based on an additive added to the concrete mix, consisting of particles that contain dormant bacteria and nutrients. Air or water generated by a crack will awaken bacteria which, by feeding on these nutrients, will fill the cracks, creating limestone. Precast group JP Concrete has signed an exclusive agreement to use Basilisk’s Sensicrete compound in its products and market self-healing concrete in the UK. However, the cost of this method is significant. The price per square meter would be double that of conventional concrete. Other initiatives based on other techniques have been developed to reduce the cost of the technology. This is the case with enzymatic construction material (ECM), which has been patented and produced by Enzymatic Inc. as a building material. Composed of carbonic anhydrase, an enzyme found in living cells, it is able to self-heal and remove greenhouse gas from the air for safe storage. It costs about $168 per square meter (compared to standard concrete at around $125 per square meter) but its energy cost is much lower. While it is not yet strong enough for apartment buildings, it could be used for smaller projects requiring less load, such as the side of a house.

Asphalt

Traditionally, asphalt has been used as a binder with concrete for road laying. Exposure to vehicle use, sunlight, rain, and other natural circumstances causes roads to degrade over time. As a result, asphalt roads lose their natural binding capabilities and require frequent repair and maintenance. Start-ups such as Self Healing Materials are developing self-healing asphalts with specific properties as a solution to improve the lifespan of pavements. By introducing steel fibers into the asphalt and using an induction machine to heat the iron molecules, the energy goes directly to the mortar, which melts briefly where the cracks form. This allows the asphalt to return to its original structure. With this technique, the lifespan of the asphalt, initially ten to twelve years, is extended to twenty years. The start-up manufactures other self-healing materials such as plastics, coatings, rubber and concrete, notably through microencapsulation, polymer use and vulcanization techniques.

Steel and aluminium

In a similar vein, solutions are emerging to self-heal structural steel and aluminium surfaces subject to damage and exposure to corrosive environments. Start-up Autonomic Materials has developed a patented, award-winning self-healing technology based on microcapsules that contain healing agents – a mixture of resins, corrosion inhibitors and adhesion promoters. When the coating is damaged, the microcapsules embedded in the coating are broken, releasing the healing agent into the damaged site where it hardens, maintaining the coating’s adhesion and ability to protect the underlying surface. The startup’s product can be used for construction, agricultural equipment, mining equipment, tanks, shopfitting, etc. Since its creation, the startup has raised more than €13 million, notably from Phoenix Venture Partners and Solvay Start-Ups Accelerates Innovation. It completed its series C in 2020.

Although research into self-healing materials dates back a few years, the sector is constantly developing and experiencing new technological advances, which are gradually reducing costs. This type of material is becoming increasingly important in the construction sector and is a key strategic aspect for all groups and start-ups in the sector, as well as for VCs. They are also often associated with emission reduction with the introduction of materials capable of capturing and storing CO2 from the air, which makes it an even more important issue for the future.

2 Key Figures

The self-healing materials market is anticipated to reach $34.4 billion with a CAGR of 95.4% between 2021 and 2026

Market Data Forecast

+100 self-healing materials startups

StartUs Insights

3 startups to draw inspiration from

Basilisk

The Dutch startup has developed and patented a self-healing concrete solution in collaboration with the Delft University of Technology. This is based on the principle of self-healing cracks through the use of micro-organisms that produce limestone. The technology is applicable to both existing and new structures. Currently, cracks up to 0.8 mm wide can be treated and repaired within 3 weeks, thus improving the service life of structures.

Self-Healing Materials

Slovakian startup Self Healing Materials creates self-healing asphalt, among other materials they work on. The startup helps heal torn roads by way of induction heating as embedded steel fibers conduct the energy and directly transfer it to the mortar. Additionally, the startup manufactures other self-healing materials such as plastics, coatings, rubber, and concrete.

Autonomic Materials

The US startup has developed patented self-healing technology, which, when incorporated into coatings, helps them maintain their protective ability after damage. The technology is based on microcapsules that contain healing agents – a mixture of resins, corrosion inhibitors and adhesion promoters. It contributes to minimising the CO₂ impact of asset maintenance.

Please fill out our contact form so that we can get back to you very quickly with our product offer.

123Fab #87

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

Last week, Canada Steamship Lines’ latest diesel-electric self-unloading vessel – the MV Nukumi – entered service with Windsor Salt. In order to reduce the vessel’s greenhouse gas emissions by 25% and air pollutants (substances that have a detrimental effect on living organisms) by 80%, the MV Nukumi was fitted with a twin-fin diesel-electric propulsion system. According to the International Council on Clean Transportation, maritime shipping could account for 17% of total emissions by 2050. For several years, the IMO (the International Maritime Organization) has been tightening the requirements for international shipping in order to achieve its goal of reducing the sector’s carbon intensity by 40% by 2030. In response, several initiatives and technologies, including fuels, are being developed to comply with the new rules that are gradually coming into force.

Electricity-based solutions

Solutions based on electric power (batteries, motor) have been widely developed over the last few years, such as the Yara Birkeland, the first autonomous battery-powered container ship that set sail last year in Norway to transport 120 containers over 7.5 nautical miles. Startups are flocking to the sector, with total funding of more than $360 million. Fleetzero, which builds battery-electric cargo ships, has already raised $3.5 million. The startup is increasing the efficiency of existing diesel ships by converting them into battery-electric vessels and is pioneering innovation with the MVE7 – an electric ship designed for transpacific cargo delivery.

However, for the time being, due to energy storage constraints, the electric solution can only be relevant for niche use, such as ferries with fairly short and stable routes, multiple recharging times at the quayside, or for coastal and river transport, and not for long-distance ships. Other alternatives seem more appropriate for maritime transport and it is likely that a transition to hybrid engines will be necessary to reduce carbon emissions in the sector.

Other non-combustion engine solutions

Several technologies show that there are alternatives to power generation by internal combustion engines, but they are not suitable for all uses, including long-distance shipping.

• Wind: Hybrid electric propulsion combined with renewable energies such as wind has the best total carbon footprint, especially for small ships. The Nantes-based start-up Neoline has the ambition to develop commercial lines operated with ships designed to use wind. Scheduled to enter service in 2024, the first Neoliner will be a 136-meter long, 24-meter wide ship capable of carrying 5,000 tonnes of cargo. The sails, combined with a reduction in commercial speed will reduce energy requirements by 90% compared to a traditional cargo ship of the same size.
• Hydrogen: Hydrogen stored onboard powers a fuel cell that produces the electricity needed for propulsion. While this technology meets the objectives of reducing CO2 emissions, it nevertheless shifts the problem to the production of hydrogen, 95% of which is currently produced from fossil fuels on land (Futura Planète). Moreover, the stability of onboard storage still raises technical reservations. The startup Boundary Layer Technologies combines the known physics of hydrofoil with patented designs to build 160-container ships that run on hydrogen. The ARGO cargo ship is powered by liquid H2 and travels at twice the speed of conventional containerships. It uses direct routes to reduce overall transit times and be competitive with air freight.

New fuels for internal combustion engines

For the next 30 years, the predominance of internal combustion engines for ship propulsion remains the most credible scenario. But it is possible to improve the environmental balance by changing the fuels.

• MGO – Maritime Gas Oil: The aim is to integrate a growing proportion of fuels from agricultural production, mainly ethyl, or recycled petroleum products such as waste oils or recycled vegetable oils. However, production is costly if not subsidized (collection, reprocessing) and the impact on emissions remains low. On the other hand, in the case of fuels derived from agricultural production, the ecological cost is highly controversial. The startup Mash Makes was a finalist of the 2022 World-Changing Ideas Awards. It specializes in converting various agricultural residues into carbon-negative fuel products that meet the necessary international maritime standards.
• Ammonia: Compared to hydrogen, ammonia has a higher energy density and is more available in ports. In addition, the production cost per tonne is very low, and this solution can meet the targets set by the IMO. However, its mass production as a fuel has been ruled out until now because of its toxicity and low flammability. It is massively manufactured from fossil fuels, which also shifts the environmental problem. The most promising combustion tests for this technology are based on a combination of 70% ammonia and 30% MGO. Brooklyn-based startup Amogy is developing an ammonia power system for ships and heavy-duty road transportation. The technology uses liquid ammonia and converts it into hydrogen gas, which then runs through a fuel cell. The one-year-old company says it plans to launch a small demonstration vessel by early 2023, along with large road vehicles.
• Methanol: Methanol is a promising alternative fuel for reducing emissions and improving the environmental performance of shipping. It contains no sulfur and, because it is a clean-burning alcohol, emissions of NOx and particulate matter from combustion are low. However, the use of methanol requires certain levels of safety and engine adaptation as well as increased bunkering capacity on board.
• LNG – Liquefied natural gas – coupled with MGO: LNG can drastically reduce combustion emissions, including carbon emissions, which is its great advantage. Moreover, it requires only minor modifications to current propulsion technologies, which means that emission reduction targets can be met quickly and with limited investment. However, this technology relies soleyl on fossil resources.

Large groups are also targeting this segment. In August 2021, Maersk ordered eight green methanol-fuelled ocean-going vessels for delivery from the first quarter of 2024. They have also invested in WasteFuel, another Californian start-up making greener biomethanol from waste. Through the Ammonia 2-4 project, a strong consortium of shipping players including Wärtsilä, C-Job, DNV, and MSC aims to develop demonstrators of two- and four-stroke marine engines running on ammonia.

Finally, numerous alternatives are being developed, notably under pressure from the IMO and numerous supra-national bodies, including the Brussels Commission. While for small ships and routes, 100% electric or renewable energy-based alternatives are being developed, for freight transport, hybrid engines seem more feasible for the coming years. But questions remain: batteries have a limited life expectancy and their production requires many critical materials. The overall carbon impact of these new fuels is therefore far from zero.

2 Key Figures

Global marine fuel market is expected to reach a total market size of $156 billion in 2025.

Research And Markets

+80 startups manufacturing electric ships

Traxcn

3 startups to draw inspiration from

Fleetzero

The startup is building battery-electric ships that will sail between major neighbouring ports. The plans call for unloading containers of cargo and nearly depleted batteries, and then loading containers of replacement cargo and freshly recharged batteries. This method would allow the ships to carry a relatively small fleet of batteries.

Neoline

The startup is working on decarbonized merchant shipping, powered mainly by sail. The first Neoliner will be capable of carrying 5,000 tonnes of cargo. The sails, combined with a reduction in commercial speed will reduce energy requirements by 90% compared to a traditional cargo ship of the same size.

Mash Makes

The startup is specialized in the environmentally friendly conversion of various agricultural residues into fuel products in accordance with international standards. The biofuel is compliant in a B11 blend with DMA (or  MGO) directly from the pyrolysis machine. The fuel has been validated at Alfa Laval’s Marine Test and Training Center.

Please fill out our contact form so that we can get back to you very quickly with our product offer.

123Fab #85

1 topic, 2 key figures, 3 startups to draw inspiration from

Last week, a team of Dutch researchers succeeded in developing a unidirectional superconductor. This approach could lead to a substitute for semiconductors and develop computers 300 to 400 times faster than those of today. More than just faster information transmission, the use of superconductors instead of ordinary semiconductors could save up to 10% of all Western energy reserves according to the Netherlands Research Council (NWO). They are also very valuable for the future in solving energy efficiency issues.

Superconductivity is a phenomenon of zero electrical resistance and expulsion of magnetic fields that occurs in certain materials when they are cooled below their critical temperature. In other words, this creates very strong magnetic fields and ensures that no energy is lost when superconducting materials carry or produce energy. There are two types of superconductors: Low-temperature superconductors (LTS) are those whose critical temperature is below -196.2°C and high-temperature superconductors (HTS) are those whose critical temperature is above -196.2°C. LTS critical temperature is relatively close to absolute zero, which is a problem because materials have to be cooled with expensive technologies such as liquid helium cooling. Its scope is therefore rather limited when a large quantity of material needs to be cooled. On the contrary, HTS have critical temperatures above the liquefaction temperature of nitrogen. They can therefore be more easily cooled with the latter (LN2), as is already done in other sectors such as IT or food processing.

There are many diverse applications for superconductors. To begin with, for the energy sector, the use of superconductors has great potential along the value chain.

• Conversion: High-temperature superconducting generators or engines are lighter and more compact than traditional ones and allow high efficiency.
• Transmission: An average of 5% of the electricity consumed is lost during transport. Thanks to superconducting materials, and their resistance-free current conduction, higher energy yields resulting from reduced energy losses in are achieved.
• Network security: Superconducting fault current limiters (FCLs) act as protective devices during power transmission, inserting an impedance into a conductor when there is a sudden surge of current on the transmission networks.
• Storage: Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES) stores electricity from the grid in the magnetic field of a coil consisting of a superconducting wire with zero energy losses.

Other applications also exist, notably in health and transport and several technologies use the ability of superconductors to generate large magnetic fields. Indeed, superconductivity has played a key role in medical imaging as it is at the heart of MRI technology, providing intense, stable, and uniform magnetic fields. Superconductors can also replace conventional electromagnets in magnetic levitation trains (maglev), i.e. monorail trains that use magnetic forces rail to avoid energy losses due to friction with the rail. Last year, Chinese engineers presented a train of this type capable of traveling at 620 km/h.

However, several challenges remain to make superconductors the key to energy efficiency. First, superconducting wires and films are still expensive compared to conventional electrical cables because their manufacturing process is very complex. Indeed, HTS are ceramics, therefore difficult to manufacture and LTS are metals, easy to manufacture but difficult to cool. Moreover, the cooling infrastructure needed to exploit the capacities of superconductors is also expensive (even with liquid nitrogen for HTS).

Although the sector is not yet very mature, several large companies and start-ups are developing initiatives to overcome these limitations and benefit from this promising technology. Late last year, Nexans, a leading manufacturer of superconductor cables, installed and commissioned its technology for power grid system provider American Superconductor (AMSC) for Chicago’s Resilient Electric Grid project. In the same way, the startup SuperNode is developing superconducting cables to provide a medium-voltage direct current (MVDC) transmission system. One use case for the startup is to connect an offshore wind farm to the grid using superconductors as the mechanism of energy transfer. They make it possible to place renewable energy sources at the most strategic location without worrying about transporting the energy, since it is done without loss. Another example is the British company Epoch Wires, which manufactures patented superconducting wire. Their production process creates low-cost, durable magnesium di-boride superconducting wires that have the potential to provide superconductivity at temperatures of 40K (-233°C) for magnetic resonance imaging and power applications. For the cooling process, the startup Veir raised $10 million in funding last year to further develop a  cooling system for high voltage superconducting transmission lines.

The prospects for superconductors, studied since the 1980s, are significant and very promising. Its benefits could revolutionize the energy industry. Indeed, having a non-resistive conductor would save a huge amount of energy on the existing grid installation. They could also contribute to the development of remote renewable energy sources by ensuring lossless energy transmission. However, deployments remain limited today due to the cost of the infrastructure and the complexity of the large scale.

2 Key Figures

The superconductors market is expected to reach $8.78B in 2025 at a CAGR of 13.08%

The Business Research Company

+$100M raised in the last six years in the superconductor market

Traxcn

3 startups to draw inspiration from

SuperNode

The Irish startup designs and delivers superconducting connection systems to connect renewable generation and increase grid interconnection in mature markets. It manufactures superconductor cables that can carry huge amounts of power in a much smaller surface area than conventional cables and require significantly less infrastructure, materials, and space.

Epoch Wires

The UK startup is specializing in manufacturing superconductor wires using environmentally friendly, abundant, and cheap material, namely Magnesium Diboride (MgB2). The company’s patent-pending technology offers high capacity production of infinitely long wire at one of the lowest market prices.

Veir

The US start-up has developed a passive evaporative cryocooling solution that enables reliable and cost-effective transmission of superconducting cables over very long distances. It provides 20 times more cooling power per kilogram of nitrogen flow than mechanical subcooling.

Please fill out our contact form so that we can get back to you very quickly with our product offer.