This cleantech startup develops a novel blade coating for enhanced lightning protection and a control algorithm that optimizes power generation across varying conditions. Their low-temperature plasma technology produces green nitric acid, enabling renewable energy producers to lower operational costs and minimize environmental impact.
Funding
$550K raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
Founders
Product
Problem
Wind turbines are susceptible to lightning strikes, resulting in costly blade damage and downtime for wind farm operators. Traditional nitric acid production relies on natural gas, contributing to significant carbon dioxide emissions.
Solution
Arctura develops and commercializes technologies that enhance the sustainability and efficiency of renewable energy and chemical production. Their ArcGuide coating improves the performance of wind turbine lightning protection systems by guiding the energy of strikes to receptors, reducing blade damage. Arctura's low-temperature plasma technology enables the production of green nitric acid using only air, water, and renewable electricity, eliminating the need for fossil fuels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This decentralized production method also reduces transportation costs and supply chain risks.
Target Audience
Arctura's primary customers include wind farm operators seeking to minimize lightning damage and downtime, as well as industries such as agriculture, mining, and semiconductors looking to decarbonize their nitric acid supply chain.
Features
- ArcGuide coating:
- Proprietary formulation of discrete conductive elements combined with a polyurethane topcoat paint
- Promotes surface flashover, creating an ionized channel for safe passage of lightning charge
- Enhances streamer activity, directing lightning strikes to receptors
- Reduces lightning-induced blade punctures and downtime
- Green Nitric Acid Technology:
- Low-temperature plasma process using only air, water, and electricity
- Decarbonizes nitric acid production, eliminating carbon dioxide emissions
- Flexible and scalable plants for tailored production
- Enables decentralized, point-of-use manufacturing