The chemical engineering startup providing processes for producing bio-based bulk chemicals has welcomed its first customer. Sunamp, a space-saving thermal energy storage specialist, will use Biosimo’s products in their manufacturing process of thermal batteries, addressing energy and cost efficiency and reducing carbon emissions.
ETH Spin-off Biosimo wants to help chemical, pharmaceutical, and material industries using bulk chemicals replace their fossil-based resources with its bio-based chemicals. The startup has developed a novel approach that utilizes bioethanol, producing bio acetic acid and its derivatives for the global acetic acid market, estimated at CHF 13 billion with a 6.2% annual growth rate.
With Sunamp as its first customer, Biosimo can demonstrate the potential of its solution in thermal batteries. Sunamp’s Thermino range of thermal batteries for hot water are up to four times smaller and up to four times more energy efficient than the traditional hot water cylinders they replace. Thermino heat batteries use patented phase change materials (PCM) to provide instant, fast-flowing hot water.
Sunamp wants to transition to a sustainable zero-carbon supply of acetic acid, first by making a small amount of sodium acetate for their PCM and using it for hand warmers. «Our technology offers the potential to completely eliminate the embedded fossil carbon from the energy storage material”, said Sotiria Mostrou, co-founder and CEO of Biosimo.
“As there are Carbon atoms in the sodium acetate molecules of our Plentigrade® phase change materials, we have to think very carefully about how to source the carbon without a big CO2 emissions footprint. Today we have to use globally sourced Sodium Acetate - with fossil methane (natural gas) in the background for both the carbon atoms and energy used in the manufacturing process. It creates a big chunk of our baseline embodied carbon today”, explains a spokesperson at Sunamp.
Parallel to the proof-of-concept, Sotiria and her co-founder Maximilian Moser (CTO) continue to advance their solution and scale it. “Our current project delivers feed- and food-grade bio acetic acid on a small. From April, we will have a kilogram scale product available, and from 2024, ton-scale”, says Sotiria. The startup is also raising funds for its seed financing round.
(RAN)
Photo: Maximilian Moser (Biosimo) & David Oliver (Sunup)
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