Doubling the commitment for a cleaner energy future 14 start-ups take on Australia’s CleanTech sector

EnergyLab media release

23 May 2018

The search for cleaner, smarter and more affordable energy has received a major boost with Australia’s first clean energy accelerator program, EnergyLab, more than doubling its latest intake of start-ups.

EnergyLab, with the support of principal sponsor Origin Energy, is working to encourage entrepreneurs developing fresh approaches to the way energy is generated, delivered and managed. EnergyLab start-ups can access the $26 million Clean Energy Seed Fund, which includes a $10 million cornerstone commitment from the Clean Energy Finance Corporation.

The 14 start-ups were selected from more than 100 applications nationally with ideas designed to support cleaner energy generation, monitoring and trading, electric vehicles, energy efficiency, better waste management and new farming technologies.

Start-ups joining EnergyLab’s 2018 program include Sydney’s PowerPal which is tapping into the Internet of Things using big data and AI to build the nation’s largest energy engagement platform with a goal to eliminate energy waste for all Australians, reducing grid demand by 5 per cent.

Melbourne-based Ohm Power has launched an online platform that helps homeowners find their best performing solar and/or battery storage system from a range of trusted Australian solar retailers.

“This is our biggest cohort yet and these talented entrepreneurs with their innovative business ideas will help us provide better options to consumers and more reliable energy. With the support of EnergyLab’s national partners Origin and Climate-KIC Australia, the future for these start-ups looks bright,” says EnergyLab Managing Director, Piers Grove.

Origin is one of a range of organisations that will help provide support to these start-ups as they aim to grow their businesses and secure additional funding.

“Our partnership with EnergyLab has already been a success and it is inspiring to see so many start-ups developing ideas that will help frame the future of energy,” said Tony Lucas, Executive General Manager of Future Energy and Business Development for Origin.

“Their fresh thinking is helping us drive the transition to a cleaner, smarter and more sustainable energy future.”

The 14 start-ups in the 2018 EnergyLab program are:

• amber electric – providing 100 per cent renewable energy at real-time wholesale prices
• Charge Cube – creating an affordable small modular solar battery system, suitable for developing countries
• Cirlution – developing a scheme to capture the maximum value from food waste and convert it into clean energy and heat
• Deposit Energy – tailored advice on new appliances and fittings to reduce energy bills
• Energy Switch – an information hub that assists switching the sources of energy
• Fluxpower – developing an electricity payments network to reward demand response in real time, working with electricity generators, retailers and end users
• Neverfarm – automating farming processes to reduce the environmental impact
• Ohm Power – providing personalised energy advisory services to homeowners
• PowerPal – using IoT technology, big data and artificial intelligence building Australia’s largest energy engagement platform and demand response network
• re:Start – mobile and on-demand electric car charging
• Sunshine Cycles – delivering solar-powered rechargeable electric bikes from self-serve pods, reducing vehicle emissions
• Switch & Shout – making the switch to renewable energy providers easy
• Waste Ninja – A waste collection service that converts organics to biogas
• Zero Impact – creating fuel from coffee waste