Eleven start-ups tackling some of the world’s biggest sustainability challenges are competing to score investment from Amazon in Europe.
The firms will trial their technologies with the global online retail and logistics giant after winning funding in this year’s Amazon Sustainability Accelerator. They now have the opportunity to test their pioneering innovations within Amazon’s operations, with the potential to secure investment of up to £2m.
The start-ups will work with Amazon in the UK, Denmark, France, Germany and Spain to test new ways to recycle electronic waste, on innovative packaging methods, ground-breaking building materials, and using AI to improve energy efficiency.
These pilots will vary in both duration and scope, Amazon says, depending on the challenge that is being addressed, with the opportunity for wider partnerships on completion.
Cheesecake Energy from the UK will deploy its compressed air and thermal technology to provide safe, reliable energy storage within Amazon’s European operations, reducing emissions from electricity usage.
HT Materials Science from Dublin and American-based Phaidra also have pilots in development with Amazon in the UK.
Piece of cake
Cheesecake Energy was founded at the University of Nottingham and uses energy storage systems to capture electricity generated by solar power during the day to provide additional energy during peak hours, or at night when the sun doesn’t shine. The technology will be used in selected European fulfilment centres.
Michael Simpson, chief commercial officer at Cheesecake Energy, said: “Storing energy for longer periods is vital as we accelerate towards net zero. We are excited to test our innovative technology with Amazon. This will help the company store excess solar energy and use it when needed. It’s great that Amazon shares our belief in the potential of the Cheesecake Energy technology, to reduce the cost of energy storage as well as ensuring renewable energy is used efficiently.”
HT Materials Science will add a nanofluid solution to the heating and cooling systems at Amazon fulfilment centres in Coventry, Daventry, and Doncaster. The aluminium-based technology, a winner of the Green Product Award, is expected to reduce energy consumption by up to 14%.
A pilot is currently being explored to use Phaidra’s AI tool with the heating and cooling system at one of Amazon’s UK fulfilment centres. This is expected to lower carbon emissions by up to 40% and reduce energy costs by up to 25%. When connected, Phaidra’s software will use algorithms to optimise energy usage in real-time based on factors such as the weather and the number of occupants in the building.
Jim Gao, chief executive of Phaidra, said: “Through our world-leading AI tools, we are committed to reducing carbon emissions and energy use in heating and cooling systems.
“Our collaboration with Amazon in this pilot is a significant step towards achieving a more sustainable future in commercial, industrial and data centre facilities. We aim to provide a scalable and seamless solution that not only benefits the environment but also offers substantial savings and efficiency improvements.”
Batteries included
The Amazon Sustainability Accelerator will see similar innovative pilots across Europe. To support Amazon’s packaging reduction efforts, start-ups Re-Zip and Hipli will launch pilots to ship close to 100,000 orders across France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Austria using what is said to be unique, reusable packaging.
Circu Li-Ion from Luxembourg will help extend the life of Amazon’s batteries, using robots to disassemble and support batteries upcycling, giving them a second life, reducing lithium-ion waste, and decreasing carbon-intensive material extraction.
Throughout the pilots, Amazon says its subject matter experts will work closely with the start-ups, offering feedback, troubleshooting assistance, and opportunities to refine their technologies to ensure they work smoothly in their respective placements.
Upon completion, Amazon will assess the environmental impact, financial viability, and overall effectiveness of the pilots to determine whether any can be scaled across other sites as part of a long-term partnership.
Trailblazing commitment
Justine Mahler, Amazon’s sustainability director, said: “This trailblazing programme is a testament to Amazon’s commitment to supporting innovation and driving positive change. By providing a real-world testing ground for unique and cutting-edge technologies, we’re not only reducing our environmental impact but also creating a blueprint for more sustainable practices across industry.”
Since launching in 2022, the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator has supported more than 40 start-ups across the UK and Europe, provided more than £1m in grants and credits, and helped those businesses on average increase sales by 700% and raise over £15m million to date.
Other start-ups involved in the trials include:
- BrainBox AI, Canada: The company has developed an AI-driven solution that is said to optimise the efficiency of heating, cooling, and ventilation (HVAC) systems in commercial buildings. This technology enables reductions of up to 25% in associated HVAC energy costs, as well as reduce heating and cooling-related carbon emissions by up to 40%
- Pirta, UK and USA: Pirta’s passive cooling paint is being planned for deployment at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Seville in 2025, delivering heating and cooling related savings on energy and carbon emissions across the site. Pirta’s water-based solution is both highly reflective and emissive allowing sub ambient surface temperatures to be achieved
- Raicoon, Austria: Raicoon’s AI-powered technology is said to significantly increase solar power performance while reducing operational expenditure. Its pilot with Amazon aims to increase the performance of the company’s solar panels by up to 15%. With its AI-powered Autonomous Operations Centre, Raicoon can detect 100% of system anomalies with unprecedented speed, precision and accuracy. This ensures prevention of issues such as falling debris and thermal events
- Unbound Potential, Switzerland: The company’s membraneless redox flow batteries enhance longevity and efficiency over conventional options, offering a cost-effective energy storage solution. Their energy storage solution addresses Amazon’s challenge of limited solar energy utilization due to 24/7 operations, enabling the transition to off-grid fulfilment centres powered entirely by renewable sources. The pilot location and launch time-frame is currently being assessed
Main image: Innovative sustainability solutions will be trialled at Amazon’s fulfilment centres. Credit: Amazon
Read next: Ordnance Survey to run underground asset register
Are you a building professional? Sign up for a FREE MEMBERSHIP to upload news stories, post job vacancies, and connect with colleagues on our secure social feed.
