Found Energy Unveils Aluminum-Powered Engine for Zero-Carbon Industrial Heat

Found Energy Unveils Aluminum-Powered Engine for Zero-Carbon Industrial Heat

Found Energy, a Boston-based startup, has developed an innovative aluminum-powered engine designed to provide zero-carbon industrial heat. The engine utilizes aluminum scrap and a proprietary liquid metal catalyst to produce high heat and hydrogen gas, offering a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels for industrial processes.

Technology Overview

The engine leverages a reaction between aluminum and water, facilitated by a low-melting-point liquid metal catalyst. This process releases stored energy in aluminum, generating heat and hydrogen gas without carbon emissions. The technology aims to address challenges in electrifying industrial processes like cement production and metal refining.

Pilot Project and Future Plans

In early 2024, Found Energy plans to install a 100-kilowatt engine at a tool manufacturing facility in the southeastern US. The pilot project will use the plant's aluminum waste as fuel, supplying heat and hydrogen. This initiative serves as a proof of concept for larger-scale deployments and demonstrates the potential for closed-loop aluminum recycling.

Closed-Loop Recycling Vision

Found Energy's long-term vision includes recharging aluminum hydroxide byproducts back into aluminum metal using clean electricity. This approach targets the aluminum refining and recycling industry, converting difficult-to-recycle waste into clean heat for re-melting aluminum, contributing to a more sustainable industrial ecosystem.