ENGIE Pascal Massard : Because it finally solves the problem of how to store refrigeration energy. It's the major discovery represented by the cold energy carrier known as «ice slurry» that now makes it possible for us to use our invention - «the ice slurry generator» - to powerfully produce large quantities of this fluid that spans the liquid and solid phases and has four times the energy density of traditional fluids.
What market opportunities does this open up for the Group?Pascal Massard : It's a completely new way of managing refrigerated energy production. At the moment, because we have no storage solution, we respond to immediate demand, because otherwise the power-hungry refrigeration process would put the power distribution grid and entire regions under stress.
This, in turn, means that production facilities are oversized to meet peaks in demand. Our innovation could have a very rapid impact in a region like Brittany, for example, where food production is the largest industry. So the enormous opportunity here is to develop an entirely new range of refrigerated energy services.
What were the project phases?Pascal Massard :
After we met its two inventors, we identified and secured funding to launch an R&D program. We began the program in February last year, and we are currently in the test phase which is delivering some very promising results. We expect to begin marketing by the end of this year or the beginning of next, and full-scale in-plant testing is also scheduled for next year.
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