Asia-based climate-tech company pioneering sand-based thermal battery systems, Alternō, has announced the establishment of Alternō Japan GK in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Supported by the Ibaraki Prefecture Startup Visa Program and Leave a Nest, the new entity will serve as Alternō's regional hub for product localization, R&D, and pilot-scale manufacturing. The initiative is being developed in collaboration with Kikuchi Seiki Co., Ltd., and Yamazaki Industry Co., Ltd., with additional coordination from JETRO and Tsukuba City.
"Japan represents a key step in Alternō's journey to build a global network of clean heat solutions," said Hai Ho, Co-Founder & CEO of Alternō. "Through our partnerships in Ibaraki - one of Japan's most innovation-driven and agriculture-focused regions - we're creating a pathway to decarbonize industries that have long depended on fossil fuels. Our goal is simple: make clean heat accessible, reliable, and affordable for every factory."
© AlternōAlternō and Kikuchi Seiki CEOs at the strategic partnership signing.
Alternō's patented Sand Battery stores renewable electricity as high-temperature heat (up to 600°C) using abundant, recyclable sand as the storage medium. The system enables factories to transition from fossil fuels to renewable heat without compromising performance or safety. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, Alternō's system is non-toxic, fireproof, and made from locally sourced materials, ensuring both environmental and economic sustainability.
In Japan, Alternō will focus on delivering solutions for agriculture, such as low-carbon heat for greenhouses and food drying, as well as light manufacturing, including textile and material drying processes.
© Alternō
Alternō's expansion into Japan is supported by leading ecosystem partners and investors, including ADB Ventures, UntroD Capital, JETRO, JICA, Leave a Nest, P4G, and NTT East.
"We strongly believe in the power of technology transfer, and Alternō's expansion into Japan demonstrates how Asian innovation can transcend borders to help decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors. Alternō's expansion into Japan marks an important milestone, and we're proud to support their growth," said Pang Sittakaradej of ADB Ventures.
"Japan is a critical market for scaling clean energy technologies," said Daiki Kumamoto, Director at UntroD Capital Asia. "Alternō's sand battery directly addresses one of the toughest challenges in industrial and agricultural decarbonization-reliable, high-temperature heat. We are proud to back their next phase of global growth."
For more information:
Alternō
alterno.net/