Alternō's Sand Battery Enters Japan: Decarbonizing Industrial Heat and Supplying Clean Heat for Greenhouse Farming

TSUKUBA, Japan, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alternō, an Asia-based climate-tech company pioneering sand-based thermal battery systems, announced today the establishment of Alternō Japan GK in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture. This marks a major milestone in the company's mission to decarbonize industrial heat — a sector responsible for over 30% of global CO₂ emissions — through affordable, zero-emission thermal energy storage.

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."

Powering Japan's Industrial Heat Transition

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.

The company is also developing Alternō E, a next-generation sand-based electricity storage system for data centers and critical infrastructure, designed to replace lithium batteries while ensuring safe, stable and clean backup power.

Two Product Lines for the Japanese Market

Alternō Japan will introduce two key product systems:

• Alternō Hybrid — a modular thermal battery that combines electric and biomass heating for continuous renewable heat supply in rural agro-processing. The system enables farmers to convert organic waste into energy, reducing both costs and emissions.
• Alternō Mini — a compact thermal battery designed for small-scale facilities, research institutes, and demonstration projects. The system is being developed in partnership with Yamazaki Industry Co., Ltd., under technical coordination from Kikuchi Seiki Co., Ltd.

Alternō will publicly debut Alternō Mini at Tokyo ENEX 2026, one of Japan's leading energy exhibitions, featuring live demonstrations for both Japanese and international audiences.

Building Japan's Clean Heat Manufacturing Ecosystem

Alternō's Japan operations bring together a network of engineering and manufacturing partners — including Kikuchi Seiki for coordination and precision engineering, and Yamazaki Industry for prototype fabrication. This collaboration aims to accelerate product certification, reduce manufacturing costs through localization, and align Alternō's Sand Battery systems with Japanese industrial standards.

"We're deeply grateful for the trust and collaboration from Japan's manufacturing ecosystem," Hai added. "Working with Kikuchi, Yamazaki, and our partners in Tsukuba allows us to merge deep-tech innovation with Japan's world-class engineering excellence."

Investor and Ecosystem Support

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."

Recognized as Deep Tech Venture of the Year 2025, Alternō continues to lead Asia's transition toward sustainable industrial energy through scalable, sand-based heat and power storage solutions.

About UntroD Capital Asia

UntroD Capital Asia is a leading deep-tech VC firm dedicated to fostering impactful technologies that drive sustainable growth. As the manager of the Real Tech Global Fund, UntroD Capital Asia partners with innovative startups and businesses addressing global challenges in sectors such as energy transition, sustainable agri-food, and industrial manufacturing. UntroD's hands-on approach and industry network provide portfolio companies with the resources and expertise needed to scale their operations and achieve lasting impact.

HP: https://untrod.inc 

About ADB Ventures

ADB Ventures is the venture capital investment arm of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), supporting early-stage technology startups with the potential to scale and deliver climate and development impact in Asia and the Pacific. Through dedicated funds, ADB Ventures invests at the seed and early stages with a focus on cleantech, fintech, and sustainable agriculture. Leveraging ADB's regional networks and expertise, ADB Ventures addresses critical financing gaps, catalyzes capital into impact technology sectors, and accelerates the deployment of transformative solutions across developing Asia.

About Alternō

Alternō, an Asia-based climate-tech startup, is pioneering sand-based thermal battery systems that deliver high-temperature, zero-emission heat for industrial and agricultural applications. Founded in 2023, the company is expanding its presence to Japan to accelerate clean heat adoption and local manufacturing. Alternō aims to drive the energy transition in hard-to-abate sectors across Asia and beyond, with a long-term goal of reducing 100 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually by 2030.

For media inquiries, please contact:
 Alternō
 race2zero@alterno.net 
 www.alterno.net

Link photo: HERE

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Alternō's Sand Battery Enters Japan: Decarbonizing Industrial Heat and Supplying Clean Heat for Greenhouse Farming

Alternō's Sand Battery Enters Japan: Decarbonizing Industrial Heat and Supplying Clean Heat for Greenhouse Farming

TATU CITY, Kenya, July 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Mabani Aljazeera Holding Group, a leading private Saudi Arabian construction and investment company, will invest in Jabali Towers, the premier mixed-use development located at the heart of Tatu City Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Kenya. The equity investment by Mabani – through its subsidiary, Swan Properties – marks a major milestone for East Africa, representing a significant vote of confidence by a major Saudi investor and highlighting Tatu City SEZ's record attraction of foreign direct investment to Kenya.

Jabali Towers, whose 25- and 36-storey towers soar over Tatu City, includes exclusive amenities for residents and 35 restaurants and shops open to the public. The first tower is more than 80% sold. Earlier this week, Tatu City appointed China Road and Bridge Corporation as the main contractor for the 88,000/m2 development.

"Mabani Aljazeera Holding Group and Swan Properties are delighted to invest in the landmark Jabali Towers development at Tatu City," said Abdullah AlMalki, Chairman of Mabani Group. "A combination of our skills, construction materials and capital will make Jabali Towers the preeminent real estate development in Africa."

Swan Properties will receive 50% minus one share for its investment in the Jabali Towers development company, with Rendeavour, Tatu City's owner and developer, as the majority shareholder.

The joint venture was lauded by the Saudi Export Import Bank, which aims to promote the development and diversification of Saudi exports and increase their ability to compete in global markets.

Stephen Jennings, Founder and CEO of Rendeavour, said: "Mabani Aljazeera Holding Group and Swan Properties' investment in Tatu City and Kenya is underpinned by Rendeavour's 20-year track record of delivering on its promises in Africa. Every year, Tatu City attracts more than half of all foreign direct investment in Kenya. We are engaging with numerous Saudi investors ready to invest in Kenya and are delighted that Swan Properties is the pioneer."

Jabali Towers offers studio, one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments starting from KES 10.2 million (USD 78,200), providing homeowners and investors with an opportunity to own a residence in Kenya's leading mixed-use SEZ. Jabali Towers is supported by more than 15 years of infrastructure investment in Tatu City, including 24-hour potable water, 99.7% power uptime, high-speed fibre internet connectivity and more than 70 kilometres of international-standard roads, providing the infrastructure expected of a modern global city.

The long-term appeal of Jabali Towers is reinforced by Tatu City's unique live-work-play ecosystem. Wellington College International Kenya, scheduled to open in 2028, will further enhance the city's appeal among Kenyan families, expatriates and professionals seeking world-class education within a secure, master-planned environment.

Residents also enjoy more than 100 kilometres of walking and cycling trails, parks, lakes and expansive green spaces, while the Tatu Wildlife Sanctuary, the world's only urban wildlife sanctuary, opens at the end of 2026, delivering Tatu City's vision of integrating nature with modern urban living.

Developed by Rendeavour, Africa's new city builder, Tatu City is the continent's fastest-growing urban destination. Home to more than 7,000 residents with a population growing by over 40% annually, the city welcomes more than 35,000 people every day who live, work, learn and recreate within its integrated ecosystem. With development valued at more than USD 3.5 billion, Tatu City hosts over 110 businesses, schools educating more than 6,000 students, and 3,500 mixed-income homes that are either occupied or under development.

CONTACT: Prudence Karimi, pkarimi@tatucity.com

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Saudia Arabia's Mabani Aljazeera Group invests in Tatu City's Jabali Towers development