What if there was a viable alternative to internal combustion engines − one that could be quickly adapted for different applications, from maritime to agriculture, the motor industry and more? What if, instead of taking up 400 hectares to build a solar power plant, you could generate the same number of kilowatts on land the size of a basketball court? And, what if you could travel unlimited kilometres in an electric car because you didn’t need charging stations? By applying the principles of electromagnetics, these goals and many others can be achieved.
Technology startup V2Techs is disrupting the way that electricity has been produced and distributed for the last 140 years. The company has invented an electromagnetic combo motor that works as an external rotating source and is a prime mover for any electric power generator, and a total substitute for hydropower, wind power and fossil fuels,.
Simple, scalable and highly efficient, the motor has been named Remora, after the fish of the same name, which attaches itself to larger marine animals in a mutually beneficial relationship. Co-founded in the USA by a South African team, V2Techs aims to make a positive contribution to carbon footprint reduction by creating innovative technologies that harvest the power of electromagnetic energy via innovative designs and patented applications.
The marine industry is the backbone of the global economy, transporting over 80% of the world’s goods. Electric ships for example could be retrofitted or newly developed, consistent with the UN’s International Maritime Organisation’s directive that greenhouse gas emissions be drastically reduced. By removing all systems associated with fuel-based power generators, a significant amount of cargo space could be freed up, resulting in a dramatic reduction in the cost per shipping container of between 50 to 60%.
“Cruising companies could open new routes, as they wouldn’t need any shoreside support infrastructure,” says Sasha Vlad, CTO of V2Techs. “They could also operate in emission-free zones.” This is a substantial leap forward from using alternative fuels like ammonia, gas, or green and blue hydrogen, all of which require large production and storage facilities on maritime routes.
“Because our technology is scalable, we can convert any electric power generator to a micro grid power plant, with little impact on an existing installation,” he continues. “Imagine if we could run a wind turbine in a building’s basement without blades or wind. We wouldn’t need to store energy, as we could produce it on site, instantly and on demand. This would get rid of large power lines and simplify the national power grids.”
Electric vehicles is another industry that can benefit from V2Techs technology. A new EV could cover unlimited miles without the need for charging stations, and with different forms of kWh payment on board via mobile phone, EFT or by direct account. Moreover, once parked in the garage, the EV becomes an electricity utility provider for the household by charging storage batteries in a power wall.
Power efficiency is key
The power efficiency of a device indicates how much of the input energy is converted into useful work. In developing the technology, the V2Techs team wanted to find an alternative that had the same, or better, power efficiency as hydropower. At 90%, hydropower has a much higher power efficiency than wind at 59,6%, solar power at 15 to 20%, or coal at 33 to 40%.
“Our technology has a 98% power efficiency, which we achieved by combining three different elements,” says Vlad. “The first is a brushless motor, the technology used in a power drill. To this, a flywheel was added, a technology that has been used for centuries for things as simple as a pottery wheel. It creates kinetic energy − the energy an object creates because of its motion. Then, thirdly there is induction. Our technology has a battery and an induction power generator. We harvest energy through the flywheel, fed back to our own battery, and redirected again back to the brushless motor,” Vlad says.
In addition to maritime applications, the company foresees electric farming, micro grip power plants, fully electric trains that don’t need overhead power infrastructure, and many others. V2Techs received two fully WIPO patent certificates for its technologies, with three more patent applications pending.
“We’re at the forefront of a new age of lower cost, low-emission power generation that has the potential to contribute significantly to a better future across the globe,” Vlad concludes.
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