Storage

Startup Spotlight: Florrent’s hemp-based ultracapacitors
Startup Spotlight: Florrent’s hemp-based ultracapacitors
A hemp field (Image by Hanffaser_Uckermark from Pixabay)

Ultracapacitors can store and discharge energy faster than batteries, but they have their own set of material sourcing concerns, primarily around the active materials for electrical double layer (EDL) capacitors. One Massachusetts-based startup says it has bypassed this concern by using U.S.-grown hemp for its ultracapacitors.

Florrent is a minority-owned company creating high energy density ultracapacitors from hemp biomass grown regeneratively by BIPOC farmers. A participating company in the DISTRIBUTECH International Initiate program, florrent will soon showcase its solutions at DISTRIBUTECH International, set for February 26-29, 2024 in Orlando, Florida.

Initiate is the major hub for startups to showcase their technologies to electric utilities at DISTRIBUTECH International. Startups can pitch their solution to a panel of industry experts, exhibit their company, and connect with other innovators from around the world. There is no better place for startup companies to connect with the energy industry and deploy their technology into the world of transmission & distribution!

“Florrent provides high energy density ultracapacitor solutions created with our hemp-derived activated carbon, facilitating wider market adoption for critical applications requiring reliable power quality from energy asset investments with maximized returns,” said Joe Hastry, CFO/COO, Florrent. “Our innovation unlocks whitespace for ultracapacitors in uninterruptible power supply, peak load reduction, renewables firming, and frequency regulation.”

The core of Florrent’s solution is its ultracapacitor active material, Contoured Carbon, a pure-carbon electrode energy storage medium designed to bring better performance to symmetric EDL capacitors. Florrent notes that most EDL capacitor active materials are derived from synthetic petroleum-based resins, coal, or South Pacific coconut husk, Florrent starts with hemp fibers grown locally in the U.S., which it brings through a proprietary activation process to create Contoured Carbon

Florrent says its ultracapacitors have notable energy density given their industry-standard form factor, meaning more power can be delivered in a smaller footprint. It says ultracapacitors can be used for critical grid services like frequency regulation and voltage support, in wind turbines for blade pitch control, and increasingly in applications where they are hybridized to support large lithium-ion battery deployments.

Check out the other companies participating in the Initiate startup hub at DISTRIBUTECH International!

Originally published in POWERGRID International.