The end of the year is approaching fast, however, innovations keep happening. We are delighted to share some updates about our Alumni and current 2022 PortXL cohort. We are happy to witness constant growth and we hope that next year will bring even more projects.

Reefy’s (PortXL ’21) reefs protect coastlines and buildings better than current solutions, ultimately in an environmentally friendly manner. This is the world’s first solution successfully combines reliable hydraulic engineering and nature protection. With 50% of coral reefs already gone in the last 30 years, the need for artificial reefs is excellent. Current solutions do not provide adequate protection against flood risk and pollution of marine ecosystems. Reefy has received a €350,000 investment from early-phase financing by UNIIQ. Reefy will conduct its first pilots in the Netherlands and Mexico with this investment.

Reefy develops modular artificial reefs that break waves and provide habitat for local ecosystems. These coral reefs are made from eco-friendly 3 x 1 x 1 meter concrete blocks. By skillfully configuring and designing these blocks, Reefy creates reefs that attract diverse wildlife. Think of tiny polyps that turn corals into lobsters. As this reef flourishes, not only will the breakwater capacity increase over time, but it will be a solution that will stand the test of time and even have the opportunity to grow as sea levels rise.

Reefy is the world’s first solution that unites the worlds of reliable hydraulic engineering and conservation in one effective solution. The two founders embody this unique combination. Jaime Ascencio has a background in coastal engineering and Leon Haynes has an experience in coral reef conservation and restoration. Together they complement each other perfectly.

If you want to check out the full announcement, please click the button below.

QuinteQ Energy (PortXL ’22) helps fossil fuel power plants to play a key role in tomorrow’s energy transition.

Breakthrough energy storage technology gives old fossil power plants a new future as green batteries. Springboard is a new European joint project in Bornholm, Denmark, which aims to demonstrate that large-scale, long-term storage of wind and solar energy is possible.

The aim is to significantly reduce the price of storage and accelerate migration to the environment. The budget of this project is 13 Million Euro, of which 7,9 Million Euro will come from the EU (Horizon-CL5-2022)

In the Bornholm project, a fossil power plant is to be converted into a battery that stores surplus green electrons and sends them back into the electricity grid when the green energy sources from wind and sun fall short.

The transport sector contributes more than old car batteries. The flywheel technology was developed in the aircraft industry and is quite advanced, says Margien Storm van Leeuwen, director of QuinteQ:

“Our magnetic levitated rotor in the flywheel uses superconductive crystals. The small, frictionless, and compact flywheel spins at high speed and delivers an endless amount of loading cycles for peak shaving of high power peaks. The technology ensures a long life, low operating costs and stable operation”, she says.

Want to know more about this significant project, click the link below.

Flower Turbines (PortXL ’19) announced that they are looking for an investment of $12 million at $12 per share. The minimum investment is $600 but there are substantial discounts for larger investments and for loyalty—those people who have invested in us in the past.

If you want to support Flower Turbines, you can reserve your shares by clicking the link below.

Furthermore, Flower Turbines together with Institute for the Built Environment Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences (IGO) announced the results of their project, which is the first floating windmill that is ready for use and connected to the Floating Farm in Rotterdam.

This project is a good example of a collaboration between practice and MBO. IGO students designed the stable base for this windmill. It was important that there was as little power loss as possible with changes in wind and wave action. Damen Shipyards and metal engineering students from the Technology College Rotterdam made the design. Electrical engineering students (also from the Technology College Rotterdam) installed and delivered the windmill.

The demand for this windmill came from the Floating Farm in Rotterdam. This is a floating farm in Merwehaven with about 40 cows. They want to be energy neutral and have a floating solar panel park for this. This meets 50% of the energy requirement. For the other half, they want to use wind energy via floating wind turbines. This is the first copy.