Energy Startups – Startup Industries

Energy Startups – Startup Industries

The next article in our Startup Industries series covers the topic of energy startups. While we were also on the road in terms of sustainability in the articles on CleanTech Startups and Circular Economy, today we would like to follow up with the topic of Energy Startups. We give an overview of the innovative ideas and technologies that energy startups are developing and also present a couple of case studies as well as a cooperation example between energy startups and companies.

What are energy startups and what are the technologies?

Unlike many industries with complicated buzzwords for names, in this case the term is relatively self-explanatory. Energy startups are young companies that contribute to advancing the energy transition with their innovative ideas. There are various technologies that help to implement this project. After all, with the European goals of climate neutrality, which we discuss in more detail in our article on CleanTech, environmentally harmful energy sources such as coal must be gradually phased out. Nuclear energy has been a popular method for CO2-neutral power generation, but is no longer a real alternative due to the nuclear phase-out in some European countries. Other solutions are needed, and research and development in the field of renewable energies is underway.

First and foremost are wind power and photovoltaics, or solar energy. However, since not all of Europe’s electricity can be generated from renewable sources, green hydrogen is also a trend that is becoming increasingly exciting. However, not only power generation itself, but also its redistribution, storage and energy efficiency are a topic where there is still great potential for development. For example, startups are driving grid expansion and sector coupling with their innovations. Many large corporations and energy groups have already recognized this potential and are cooperating with startups as part of the energy transition.

Startup case study: Blue Freedom

The technology of the German startup Blue Freedom is not only sustainable, but also efficient. They generate electricity from hydropower, so energy generation is available twenty-four hours a day, unlike wind or solar power, regardless of weather conditions. Their smallest solution is particularly practical: the Blue Freedom Portable hydrogen power plant is only twenty centimeters in size, and can be optimally used as a power source while hiking or camping. The electricity is sufficient to charge a cell phone battery, for example, and can thus replace a power bank.

Startup case study: Enpal

Ten years ago, Mario Kohle, Viktor Wingert and Jochen founded the startup Enpal, with the vision of making it possible to supply all homes in the world with green and cheap energy through solar power. To do this, the young company offers a model where solar energy can be rented at a fixed price. In the meantime, they have successfully implemented over 10,000 solar projects with the help of 85 teams of craftsmen. Their idea has been a success: today, Enpal’s partners include ING Diba, Deutsche Bank Kreditbank AG and Sparkasse.

Cooperation example: Coneva and Danfoss

Munich-based startup Coneva is a spinoff of SMA Solar Technology AG has developed a solution that makes intelligent energy management possible. The company digitizes and networks individual. In the process, data is collected and used efficiently. In this context, Coneva works with an IoT platform that makes it possible to visualize electricity consumption and provide the customer with an overview. Based on this, the customer can control his energy activities in a targeted manner and make them more efficient.

The startup’s partners include Danfoss, an expert company in air conditioning and refrigeration and heating control. Together with this, Conevea has equipped several large supermarkets with their technology. This enables them to efficiently manage their energy consumption and self-generated solar power. As part of this project, refrigeration equipment was used as thermal storage, thereby reducing costs. Overall, the supermarkets were able to reduce their energy costs by up to 45 percent.

At this point, we have also collected other interesting startups that are advancing the energy transition with their innovative ideas.

The future of Energy Startups

As climate change continues to advance, green alternatives to conventional, emissions-intensive power generation are also becoming increasingly important. Young startups as well as the big energy companies have recognized this, and are driving the energy transition. Electricity from renewable energies is becoming increasingly popular, and new technologies in this field are also making it more affordable and more readily available. Through their innovative ideas, startups are making a significant contribution to sustainable change in the energy market, and continue to offer great potential in this area in the future.

If you are interested in climate protection and sustainable innovation, please read our article about CleanTech and GreenTech Startups.