Orchid Solar provides modular solar thermal technology that delivers clean heat up to 1,200°C for energy-intensive industries like steel, brick, and glass manufacturing. The system uses a patented optical design from Oxford University that captures 40% more energy than previous concentrated solar approaches, and has been validated through prototype testing in Scotland and field trials in India and Kenya.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Industrial processes such as metal smelting, cement production, and glass manufacturing require extremely high temperatures, typically above 660°C, and currently rely on burning fossil fuels like natural gas, LPG, or heavy oil. Over 20% of global energy demand is for industrial heat, yet there is no cheap, proven renewable alternative available at the temperatures these processes require, leaving factories with costly fuel bills and significant carbon emissions.
Solution
Orchid Solar provides modular solar thermal technology that concentrates sunlight to generate heat up to 1,200°C, offering a clean and competitive alternative to fossil fuels for industrial applications. The system uses a patented optical system developed from Oxford University research, which captures 40% more energy than previous concentrated solar designs and integrates easily into existing industrial processes. The technology is a flexible platform that can be scaled from small workshops to large plants and applied across multiple industries, including steel, bricks, ceramics, and glass manufacturing. A working prototype has successfully demonstrated melting an aluminium plate at over 660°C using Scottish sunlight, and the technology has undergone successful research testing in India and Kenya.
Target Audience
Primary customers are industrial manufacturers in energy-intensive sectors such as steel production, brick and ceramic manufacturing, glass production, and metal smelting and recycling that require high-temperature process heat.
Features
- Patented optical system from Oxford University that delivers concentrated solar heat up to 1,200°C
- 40% higher energy capture compared to previous concentrated solar technology developments
- Modular design that scales from small workshops to large industrial plants
- Easy integration into existing industrial processes without major retrofitting
- Field-tested in India and Kenya with a working prototype that melted aluminium at over 660°C
- Clean heat generation that eliminates the need to burn natural gas, LPG, or heavy oil