Ukrainian startup SorbiForce, based in Arizona (USA), has created a technology for using agricultural waste to produce environmentally friendly batteries with a service life of up to 6,000 cycles. The startup is currently raising funding on the crowdfunding platform StartEngine, where it has received a valuation of $20 million.
Ukrainian startup SorbiForce, based in Arizona (USA), has created a technology for using agricultural waste to produce environmentally friendly batteries with a service life of up to 6,000 cycles. The startup is currently raising funding on the crowdfunding platform StartEngine, where it has received a valuation of $20 million.
SorbiForce claims that in order to create the world’s first truly sustainable battery, in addition to agricultural waste, the developers used only carbon, water and salt. Interesting Engineering writes about this.
The idea for this technology came to SorbiForce CEO and co-founder Serhiy Kaminsky when he realized that agriculture produces up to 2.1 billion tons of waste each year. In addition, traditional methods for recycling conventional batteries are limited and often dangerous, highlighting the importance of an environmentally friendly solution.
«Modern energy storage systems and batteries have a very big impact on the sustainability of the planet», — says Kevin Drolet, the company’s chief operating officer.
To create an innovative battery, Kaminsky assembled a team of experts in the late 2010s, which eventually landed a spot in the University of Arizona’s Center for Innovation startup incubator.
«We really embraced the idea that waste has value and that it can be turned into a capital enterprise», — Drolet emphasizes.
After years of research, the team has developed sorption batteries that use three physical processes to transfer electrons through an ultra-porous carbon layer in the base, moving them from the cathode to the anode. The team says that because both electrodes are made of carbon, the battery is completely non-flammable.
The battery could last up to 30 years if you «add more water,» the startup says. And after the battery’s lifespan is up, up to 95% of the cells can be broken down into organic materials, with the remaining components being reused.
Drolet notes that, unlike lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, which often become toxic plastic waste or pose safety hazards during recycling, SorbiForce cells pose no risk of explosion, thermal runaway, or toxic leakage thanks to their «metal-free chemistry» and closed-loop design, even if cut in half.
SorbiForce is currently raising funding on the crowdfunding platform StartEngine.
«We are closing our current round at $270,000 — the final step that opens the door for a big leap forward. Next up: raising $5 million to launch production and open our first factory», — Serhiy Kaminsky commented on the campaign.
At the time of writing, SorbiForce has raised $161,617 from 100 investors, surpassing its minimum goal of $124,000. The primary goal is to raise up to $270,000. StartEngine lists SorbiForce at a valuation of $20 million; the startup has raised $687,000 in previous rounds.
With a lifespan of over 6,000 cycles and the ability to stack modules, the transition from pilot projects to full-scale production won’t be long, Drolet said, as demand is already there. He added that the company plans to start producing its first batteries later this year.
