Rethinking energy storage with simple elements

Tell us about Ore Energy’s mission.

Ore Energy’s mission is to accelerate the global shift to renewable energy by making it more reliable, affordable, and accessible to all. We believe access to clean energy drives societal wealth and well-being; and storing energy at scale is the key to unlocking its full potential. We also believe that we must also decarbonize our economies to safeguard the planet. The shift away from fossil fuels isn’t optional; it’s fundamental to our survival.

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Roughly 173,000 terawatts of energy strikes the earth every second, enough to power the world for 7 years. But even if we could harness all of that solar energy (or other renewable sources like wind), it would only be part of the solution. The other part—arguably the harder one—is storing that energy cost-effectively, safely, and at scale, to ensure reliable energy distribution even when the sun isn’t shining or wind isn’t blowing. That’s what we’re working on.

What makes your technological approach unique?

Ore Energy takes a different technological approach to long-duration energy storage. We don’t use expensive, resource-intensive, or problematically-sourced materials like lithium or cobalt, which raise a number of technical, political, and ethical concerns. Our storage technology relies on a proven chemical principle: the rusting and de-rusting of iron.

Iron-air batteries have emerged as a highly promising solution for multi-day energy storage (or as it is known in the industry long-duration energy storage or “LDES”), offering several key advantages in cost, safety, and scalability. Our iron-air battery stores energy for up to 100 hours, making it ideal for multi-day gaps in solar or wind production. And our batteries are non-flammable, use non-toxic materials, and rely on iron, water, and air. These are abundant materials that can be sourced within Europe. Together, these make our solution not only safe and cost-effective, but also strategically aligned with Europe’s energy independence goals.

We’re the first—and so far only—company in Europe advancing this approach: we deployed the world’s first grid-connected iron-air battery system at The Green Village at TU Delft this summer, marking a milestone in long-duration battery technology as well as European energy sovereignty.

What is the societal relevance of your technology?

Being able to store and release renewable energy over a long durations helps address major grid challenges like grid congestion, stability, and variability.  But long-duration energy storage isn’t just a grid solution, it’s a critical missing piece of the clean energy transition that benefits society at large.

Today, more and more renewable energy is going to waste because the grid can’t handle it at the wrong time of day. It’s like trying to feed a large family with a mini-fridge: you can’t store enough when groceries are cheap and plentiful, and you run out when everyone’s hungry. Some of it gets wasted, and when you need it most, there’s not enough to go around. In an energy context, that mismatch between supply and demand doesn’t just slow the energy transition, it increases everyone’s energy prices, leads to electricity instability/inaccessibility (like blackouts or waitlists), and makes it harder for cities to grow. In the European Union alone we waste tens of billions of euros annually that we don’t need to.

When we talk about storing clean energy for 100 hours, we’re talking about making renewables work for entire cities even when the sun isn’t shining or the wind isn’t blowing. Our iron-air battery helps store that excess clean power and release it when it’s needed most, smoothing out volatility and making clean, reliable, affordable energy available to everyone.

How did you get in touch with TNO Fast Track?

Our journey began with a simple survey (initiated by TNO Fast Track), part of TNO’s initiative to support innovation in battery technology and aligned with the Battery Competence Cluster, with test facilities throughout the Netherlands. It was geared towards understanding the different needs and challenges of emerging and established battery technology companies with a clear vision to 21^st century energy solutions. It was clear from the start that TNO Fast Track was born with the ambition to support scale-ups like ours.

How has TNO helped along the way?

TNO has been a true partner from the beginning. We started with a joint expert session that helped us sharpen our approach. Together, we built and executed a test plan to validate our technology, during which we were able to use TNO lab facilities. More recently, our collaboration led to a successful grant award via the MKB High Tech Call. Starting small, learning fast, and developing the partnership over time worked really well for us!

What is the (potential) business impact of the collaboration with TNO for ORE Energy?

The support we received from TNO significantly accelerated our technology development timeline. Their expertise helped to validate our technology claims, boosting investor confidence and opening doors to strategic partnerships while avoiding costly detours. For an early-stage hardware company, that kind of third-party access and credibility is invaluable.

How do you look back at TNO’s support?

We’ve developed a fast-paced, mutually-trusted, and highly-productive relationship with the TNO Fast Track team, particularly with Ruben. The team’s deep expertise and structured support gave us exactly the kind of backing we needed as a deeptech startup. It’s been great and we’re proud to work with them.