[freebeard]

Another important feature of the startup’s system is energy storage. The salty brew absorbs moisture from the humid air during the day, but it can be dried out by a heat pump at night when electricity demand is lower. That way the drying process doesn’t place as great a burden on the grid, which effectively is a form of energy storage. Then, when the sun comes up and temperatures start to climb, Blue Frontier’s AC can run for about four hours on the energy stored within that mixture.

When
So far, the company has raised at least $26 million through grants, prizes, seed funding, and a Series A round in July 2022 led by Breakthrough Energy Ventures. Betts says that’s enough to get them through the end of 2024.

Blue Frontier’s first product will be an AC unit with a capacity similar to the air conditioners most commonly used today in commercial buildings. Eventually, the company hopes to make units suitable for homes.

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