Startup could crack the solar energy code

'I have believed in my idea from the very beginning, even though at times I have had to work hard to convince others,' says founder Bjørn Brandtzæg.

In 2020, he founded Photoncycle AS. Today, the technology company has 14 employees and is well on its way to developing an energy storage solution that many thought was impossible.

With solar panels on the roof, a custom-built conversion unit outside the house and a tank underground, Photoncycle aims to make European homes energy self-sufficient, even in winter.

The energy crisis in Europe has led to enormous growth in rooftop solar panels on private homes. Here in Norway, we are talking about just a few thousand. In Germany, by contrast, solar panels have been installed on three million homes – and in the Netherlands, solar power accounts for a significant share of electricity consumption. This development is excellent for the climate, but far less positive for the power grid, explains Photoncycle's founder:

'There is currently no solution for storing large amounts of energy for household use,' Brandtzæg explains.

Solar panels generate large amounts of electricity in summer. In winter, however, the opposite is true. The unpredictable and unreliable nature of solar power also has a negative impact on grid capacity.

– In Eastern Norway, solar panels typically generate around 15 times more electricity in summer than in winter. At the same time, a home's energy needs are two to three times higher in December.

Photoncycle aims to solve this challenge by developing a storage solution that converts electricity into hydrogen and stores it in a proprietary solid material. The name of the material remains a secret for now, but Brandtzæg says they have already demonstrated that it can store hydrogen for months.

The solution will make it possible to store 10,000 kWh in an underground tank, allowing homeowners to use the energy themselves when needed instead of having to sell it to an electricity company, as the current system requires. Brandtzæg came up with the idea while pursuing further education at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston, after working in the energy industry for many years.

The technology will make it possible to use an 'electrolyser' to store surplus electricity from rooftop solar panels and the grid next to the house. There is still some way to go, but several major companies believe in this advanced project:

A prototype of this promising technology has already been developed and tested in the company’s advanced laboratory at Oslo Science Park. The project partners include power company Eviny, energy technology company Volue, SINTEF and housebuilder Obos Block Watne. Obos Block Watne will eventually test the technology in ten of its homes in Eastern Norway. During the development phase, we provided funding through a Startup grant and an environmental technology grant.

The plan is to launch the system initially in Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany and the UK. And the founder is optimistic:

‘If we succeed, we will have found a solution that could make a huge difference to the future of solar energy.’