Q&A

Energy startup exec unveils breakthrough battery chemistry to revolutionize energy storage solutions

Will Tope, chief commercial officer of LiNa Energy, joined the Energy Tech Startups podcast to discuss the company's unique technology and growth plans. Photo via LinkedIn

In a world striving for sustainable and efficient energy solutions, United Kingdom-based LiNa Energy emerges as a promising player in the field of advanced battery technologies.

With a focus on overcoming the limitations of traditional lithium-ion batteries, LiNa Energy — a member of the 2023 cohort for Houston-based incubator, Halliburton Labs — presents a unique chemistry that holds the potential to revolutionize energy storage.

In a recent episode of Energy Tech Startups with Will Tope, chief commercial officer of LiNa Energy, we delve into the key aspects of LiNa Energy's technology, exploring the challenges they seek to address and their plans for commercialization.

Energy Tech Startups: What is the main problem that LiNa Energy is trying to solve with their battery technology?

Will Tope: LiNa Energy is driven by a pressing dilemma in today's storage landscape: the limited efficiency and high costs associated with existing storage technologies. They aim to bridge the gap, providing low-cost, long-duration energy storage solutions that can effectively accommodate the increasing penetration of renewable energy sources in power grids worldwide. By addressing this critical need, LiNa Energy aims to unlock the full potential of low-cost, low-carbon electrons for global energy consumption patterns.

ETS: How does LiNa Energy's battery technology differ from traditional lithium-ion batteries?

WT: LiNa Energy's technology distinguishes itself through its unique chemistry and progressive use of ceramics. By combining a stable sodium-based chemistry, developed in the 1970s, with advancements in ceramics from the fuel cell industry, LiNa Energy maximizes safety, heat management, and energy density. Their battery cells feature thin planar ceramic electrolytes, enabling cost-efficient automated manufacturing and reducing the need for extensive thermal management systems. This streamlined approach offers both enhanced performance and cost-effectiveness.

ETS: What are the commercialization plans and target markets for LiNa Energy?

WT: LiNa Energy strategically targets markets with high solar potential, such as India, where the demand for storage solutions arises due to the growing deployment of renewables and the need to shift energy to peak demand periods. LiNa Energy aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of their systems through pilot projects at distribution scale by the end of the year. Leveraging partnerships and strong relationships with key players in the energy industry, LiNa Energy envisions gradual growth in manufacturing capacity worldwide. By offering competitive pricing, they aim to disrupt the market and drive widespread adoption of their innovative battery technology.

As the energy landscape continues to evolve, LiNa Energy's pursuit of affordable, long-duration energy storage technology stands out as a potential game-changer. With their unique chemistry, ceramic advancements, and focus on commercialization in markets with enormous renewable energy potential, LiNa Energy demonstrates a commitment to addressing the world's energy challenges. By challenging the status quo of traditional energy storage systems, LiNa Energy paves the way for a future where efficient and sustainable energy solutions become the norm.

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This conversation has been edited for brevity and clarity. Click here to listen to the full episode.

Digital Wildcatters is a Houston-based media platform and podcast network, which is home to the Energy Tech Startups podcast.

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A View From HETI

Houston American Energy Corp. will break ground on its first advanced recycling facility in Q4. Photo via Getty Images.

Houston American Energy Corp. (NYSE: HUSA) plans to break ground on its new advanced recycling facility in the Cedar Port Industrial Park in Q4, the company shared in an announcement this week.

The company acquired a 25-acre, $8.5 million site for development in July from TGS Cedar Port Partners, which handles approximately 5 billion pounds of plastic resin annually. HUSA also plans to build the Abundia Innovation Center on the site.

HUSA named Houston-based Corvus Construction Company the design and construction partner on both projects.

“The site at Cedar Port is in the largest master-planned rail and barge served industrial park in the United States with direct access to the Houston Ship Channel and the Port of Houston,” Ed Gillespie, CEO of HUSA, said in a news release. “It provides robust logistical advantages for the transportation of both feedstock and our low-carbon drop-in fuels and chemical products. Critically, the region has a deep pool of engineering and operations talent. HUSA looks forward to working with local communities and adding economic growth in the Gulf Coast region.”

The new advanced recycling facility will convert plastic waste into pyrolysis oil and will serve as a hub for a five-year development plan designed to scale production capacity.

The facility will be built around New York-based Abundia Global Impact Group LLC’s technologies and proprietary pyrolysis process, which converts plastic and certified biomass waste into high-quality renewable fuels.

HUSA acquired AGIG this summer. At the time, the combined company shared that it planned to serve a multi-billion-dollar global demand for renewable fuels, Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and recycled chemical feedstocks.

The Abundia Innovation Center is planned to serve as a state-of-the-art research and development facility for the renewable energy sector, aiding in the commercial and technical validation of new technologies. HUSA previously announced that Nexus PMG, also based in Houston, will provide strategic support and guidance in the development of the innovation hub.

According to HUSA, the recycling facility and innovation center will “create the foundation for HUSA’s long-term vision to be a leader in the low-carbon fuels sector by driving collaborative innovation.”

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