Alternō Secures Series A for Green Heat Tech

The Sand Battery Revolution: How Alternō’s Thermal Storage Tech is Heating Up the Clean Energy Game
Picture this: a world where industrial furnaces hum without spewing carbon, where farmers dry crops without fossil fuels, and where the backbone of decarbonization isn’t some sci-fi gadget but *sand*—the same stuff you find at construction sites and beaches. Enter Alternō, a Singapore-based climate-tech startup that’s turning this gritty vision into reality with its sand battery technology. Founded in 2023, this underdog has already locked in Series A funding and set its sights on slashing 100 million tons of CO₂ annually by 2030. But how does baking sand solve an energy crisis? Grab your detective hat—we’re following the money and the thermal trails.
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From Beach to Battery: The Sand-Powered Industrial Revolution

Alternō’s breakthrough isn’t just about sand; it’s about redefining thermal energy storage for industries stuck in the fossil age. Their patented system uses low-cost, locally sourced sand to trap heat at a scorching 600°C, with near-zero thermal loss and no emissions. For context, that’s hot enough to melt lead—or replace coal-fired boilers in factories across Southeast Asia.
Why sand? Unlike lithium batteries (which flinch at high temps) or hydrogen (still pricey to produce), sand is dirt-cheap, stable, and abundant, especially in emerging markets like Vietnam, where Alternō operates its R&D hub. The tech’s sweet spot? Industries needing steady, high-temperature heat for processes like food drying, cement production, or chemical manufacturing—sectors responsible for 25% of global emissions. By swapping gas burners for sand batteries, Alternō could decarbonize these operations faster than a Tesla hits 60 mph.
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Funding the Heat Wave: Who’s Betting on Alternō’s Grit?

Every gumshoe knows: follow the money to crack the case. Alternō’s Series A round, co-led by The Radical Fund and Touchstone Partners, with boosts from Antler and Impact Square, signals that investors see sand as the next big thing in the $1.3 trillion energy storage market. Here’s why the checks cleared:

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The Road to 100 Million Tons: Scalability or Sand Trap?

Alternō’s 2030 target—eliminating 100M tons of CO₂/year—is like erasing the annual emissions of Belgium. Ambitious? Sure. But here’s their playbook:
– Agriculture First: Pilot projects with rice and coffee farmers (who use fossil fuels for drying) could scale rapidly; Vietnam’s coffee sector alone emits 2.5M tons/year.
– Cement & Steel: These “hard-to-abate” sectors contribute 8% of global emissions. Alternō’s tech could slot into existing plants, avoiding costly retrofits.
– Policy Tailwinds: With carbon taxes rising in Asia (Singapore’s hit $25/ton), sand batteries become a bottom-line savior.
But hurdles remain. Storage duration (can sand hold heat for weeks?) and energy input (renewables must be cheap and plentiful) are unanswered questions. And let’s not forget the “valley of death” between pilot and profit—where many climate startups go extinct.
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Conclusion: A Grain of Hope in the Climate Fight

Alternō’s sand battery isn’t just another clean-tech buzzword. It’s a scrappy, scalable solution for the industries we’ve struggled to decarbonize—no diamond mines or fusion reactors required. By marrying low-cost materials with emerging-market pragmatism, they’re flipping the script on energy storage.
Will they hit 100 million tons? Maybe. But even half that would be a win. As the world chases net-zero, sometimes the answer isn’t in the clouds—it’s in the sandbox. Case closed, folks. Now, who’s ready to bet on the next shovelful of innovation?