التكنولوجيا وأخبارها بوابة الإمارات لتكنولوجيا المعلومات والإتصالات
Energy Vault Named Technology Pioneer by World Economic Forum as It Offers an
Economic Way to Store Clean Energy and Deliver Dispatchable Power
Energy Vault, the creator of products that combine
conventional physics with advanced machine vision
software to provide utility-scale storage of clean energy,
today announced its selection as one of the World Economic
Forum’s Technology Pioneers of 2020. Energy Vault’s
gravity-based, long duration storage technology is
transforming the way electricity is stored and distributed,
making it possible – for the first time – for renewable
energy to be dispatchable and competitive with fossil fuels
all day, every day.
The World Economic Forum Technology Pioneers of 2020
are 100 of the most promising companies that are shaping
industries from agriculture to healthcare, while also
working on sustainability issues and much more. As
governments around the world consider the possibility of
pursuing a green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic,
Energy Vault’s technology is providing a cost-effective
solution for governments and commercial enterprises to
“build back better” while maintaining their commitments to
tackling climate change.
Consumption of fossil fuels has dropped dramatically in
recent months, reducing costs while increasing demand for
renewables. As renewable energy is dependent on
intermittent sources, reliable and affordable energy storage
is an essential component of solidifying this progress and
eradicating dependence on fossil fuels.
Energy Vault’s specially designed crane uses proprietary
technology and machine vision software to autonomously
orchestrate the lifting and lowering of massive composite
bricks made from locally sourced soil or waste materials.
Able to connect directly into national utility grids or to
directly support off-grid renewable generation, the storage
systems are deployed by energy providers such as utilities
and other large industrial energy consumers. Energy Vault
installations also localize their brick manufacturing,
construction and ongoing maintenance, bolstering local
economies and creating jobs. The company’s first utility-
scale, commercial demonstration unit is under final
commissioning in Switzerland and will be directly
connected to the Swiss national grid in order to
demonstrate full charging and continuous power
discharging capabilities.
The World Economic Forum’s Technology Pioneers are early
to growth-stage companies from around the world that are
involved in the design, development and deployment of
new technologies and innovations, and are poised to have a
significant impact on business and society. The Technology
Pioneers community is an integral part of the larger Global
Innovators Community of start-ups at the World Economic Forum.
“We are pleased that the World Economic Forum continues
to recognize both innovative and economic solutions that
will help reduce our fossil fuel dependency,” said Robert
Piconi, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, Energy
Vault. “Now is the time for the world to take substantive
action. In the U.S., for example, the pandemic period has
resulted in renewable energy consumption surpassing coal
power for the first time in 130 years. Government policy
makers and private sector companies have an historic
opportunity to make a bold and fundamental choice: seize
this opportunity to invest in powering our future economic
growth with clean energy to preserve our planet for all
future generations to come, making 2020 the inflection
point in carbon emissions in our world’s history – or return
to carbon emission growth to meet energy demand through
the irresponsible expansion of fossil fuel energy generation,
jeopardizing the future quality of life of our global
ecosystems. A clean, sustainable recovery will help avert
another devastating global crisis, and Energy Vault is
uniquely positioned to make that an affordable reality while
supporting local economies as they recover. As a member of
the Global Innovators Community, Energy Vault will
continue to pursue our mission to accelerate the pace of
sustainable clean energy adoption while stimulating
economic recovery to more locations and institutions
around the world.”
“We’re excited to welcome Energy Vault to our 20th cohort
of Technology Pioneers,” said Susan Nesbitt, Head of the
Global Innovators Community, World Economic Forum.
“Energy Vault and its fellow pioneers are developing
cutting-edge technologies all over the world. Beyond their
innovations, these firms are contributing greatly to
improving the state of the world.”
This year’s cohort selection marks the 20th anniversary of
the Technology Pioneers community. Throughout its 20-
year run, many Technology Pioneers have continuously
contributed to advancement in their industries, while some
have even gone on to become household names. Past
recipients include Airbnb, Google, Kickstarter, Mozilla,
Palantir Technologies, Spotify, TransferWise, Twitter and Wikimedia.
Following Energy Vault’s selection as Technology Pioneer,
Mr. Piconi will be invited to participate at World Economic
Forum activities, events and discussions throughout the
year. Energy Vault will also contribute to Forum initiatives
over the next two years, working with policymakers and
private sector leaders to help define the global agenda on
key issues
