Top 7 Green Energy startups in Japan
1
Funding: $57.5M
Helical Fusion is developing helical-type fusion stellarator reactor. Their helical design keeps incredibly hot ionized gas contained steadily by itself, eliminating the need for external electrical power and allowing operations to run longer than with rival technologies. The company has finished testing a superconducting magnet that could work on a commercial scale. This marks the first time a commercial-scale coil has operated successfully under such conditions. The company plans to construct demonstration equipment by the decade's end. During the 2030s, Helical Fusion aims to launch its first pilot facility operating continuously while generating more power than it uses.
Helical Fusion is developing helical-type fusion stellarator reactor. Their helical design keeps incredibly hot ionized gas contained steadily by itself, eliminating the need for external electrical power and allowing operations to run longer than with rival technologies. The company has finished testing a superconducting magnet that could work on a commercial scale. This marks the first time a commercial-scale coil has operated successfully under such conditions. The company plans to construct demonstration equipment by the decade's end. During the 2030s, Helical Fusion aims to launch its first pilot facility operating continuously while generating more power than it uses.
2
Funding: ¥11.1B
Enechain is an energy exchange company that provides energy trading, settlement functions, trading applications, and data services.
Enechain is an energy exchange company that provides energy trading, settlement functions, trading applications, and data services.
3
Funding: ¥23.9B
PowerX brings power transfer technology to life, allowing for greater usage of renewable energy sources. In particular it develops battery tanker.
PowerX brings power transfer technology to life, allowing for greater usage of renewable energy sources. In particular it develops battery tanker.
4
Funding: ¥22.3B
Kyoto Fusioneering is developing fusion-neutron / breeding-blanket Unity-3 that allows to harvest energy from the reactor while also generating fresh fusion fuel. The breeding blanket design will use liquid lithium, which will absorb both heat and neutrons. As the lithium atoms in the blanket are bombarded with neutrons, they split into helium and tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that’s an important fuel for many reactor designs. The tritium is then separated from the blanket and sent to the reactor, while heat is extracted to generate power. Kyoto Fusioneering is also developing systems to heat fusion fuel into a plasma, recycle unburned fuel from the exhaust, and harvest heat to generate electricity.
Kyoto Fusioneering is developing fusion-neutron / breeding-blanket Unity-3 that allows to harvest energy from the reactor while also generating fresh fusion fuel. The breeding blanket design will use liquid lithium, which will absorb both heat and neutrons. As the lithium atoms in the blanket are bombarded with neutrons, they split into helium and tritium, an isotope of hydrogen that’s an important fuel for many reactor designs. The tritium is then separated from the blanket and sent to the reactor, while heat is extracted to generate power. Kyoto Fusioneering is also developing systems to heat fusion fuel into a plasma, recycle unburned fuel from the exhaust, and harvest heat to generate electricity.
5
Funding: ¥4.9B
EX-Fusion develops the first commercial laser based nuclear fusion reactor based on a fast ignition method called LIFT. This design was proposed by the Institute of Laser Science, Osaka University. First, a fuel target accelerated to a velocity of 100 m/s is injected toward the center of the reactor. As soon as the target reaches to the center, lasers irradiate the target from all directions to implode the fuel target, and another laser is irradiated to the fuel to induce a fusion reaction. The neutron energy produced by the fusion reaction is absorbed by a device called a “blanket” surrounding the center of the reactor. Then, the energy is converted to electrical energy by heating water in a heat exchanger to turn a turbine. When the cycle from target injection to fuel ignition can be stably repeated at a frequency of 10 times per second, it is believed that the system can be operated as a power plant.
EX-Fusion develops the first commercial laser based nuclear fusion reactor based on a fast ignition method called LIFT. This design was proposed by the Institute of Laser Science, Osaka University. First, a fuel target accelerated to a velocity of 100 m/s is injected toward the center of the reactor. As soon as the target reaches to the center, lasers irradiate the target from all directions to implode the fuel target, and another laser is irradiated to the fuel to induce a fusion reaction. The neutron energy produced by the fusion reaction is absorbed by a device called a “blanket” surrounding the center of the reactor. Then, the energy is converted to electrical energy by heating water in a heat exchanger to turn a turbine. When the cycle from target injection to fuel ignition can be stably repeated at a frequency of 10 times per second, it is believed that the system can be operated as a power plant.
6
Funding: ¥2.9B
TRENDE is an online renewable energy retailer selling electricity to residential customers in Japan
TRENDE is an online renewable energy retailer selling electricity to residential customers in Japan
7
Funding: ¥2B
Clean Planet is developing "light hydrogen nuclear energy" technology known as QHe. Originally developed in Tohoku University it uses hydrogen quantum diffusion to generate heat. The diffusion is induced by heating a small amount of hydrogen saturated in nano-sized nickel-based composite material. QHe can provide industrial-scale heat up to 1,000°C. The technology operates with nano-sized nickel- based composite material and a small amount of hydrogen. Clean Planet is currently engineering QHe-powered heat modules that can provide energy to the industrial, commercial, transportation, and residential sectors.
Clean Planet is developing "light hydrogen nuclear energy" technology known as QHe. Originally developed in Tohoku University it uses hydrogen quantum diffusion to generate heat. The diffusion is induced by heating a small amount of hydrogen saturated in nano-sized nickel-based composite material. QHe can provide industrial-scale heat up to 1,000°C. The technology operates with nano-sized nickel- based composite material and a small amount of hydrogen. Clean Planet is currently engineering QHe-powered heat modules that can provide energy to the industrial, commercial, transportation, and residential sectors.
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