Active Energy Systems’ large-scale storage technology makes major improvements in round trip efficiency when compared to today’s batteries. Utilizing waste thermal energy sources, the company’s technical approach side-steps the efficiency barriers that limit most conventional energy storage technologies. In addition, by storing energy thermally, we can use safe, low-cost materials. Low-temperature waste heat abounds. From data centers to food processing, energy intensive industries across the world emit hundreds of gigawatts of thermal energy. Because the thermodynamic quality of this heat is low it has been challenging to create value from it, and as a result billions of dollars go up in smoke. Until now.

Active Energy Systems is enrolled in ORNL’s Innovation Crossroads program. TAEBC and Launch Tennessee provide non-exclusive business mentoring services to the Innovation Crossroads Innovators.

Innovation Crossroads is a new program based at ORNL that matches aspiring energy entrepreneurs with the experts, mentors, and networks in technology-related fields to take their world-changing ideas from R&D to the marketplace.

Several entrepreneurs have been selected to transform their ideas into clean energy companies with financial support from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). Innovators receive a fellowship that covers living costs, benefits and a travel stipend for up to two years, plus up to $350,000 to use on collaborative research and development at ORNL.