Munich Startup: Who are you and what do you do? Please introduce yourselves briefly!
Phelas: With Phelas We are developing the central solution building block for the energy transition: a modular, mass-produced and affordable electricity storage system for industry, energy producers and grid operators.
We are Justin Scholz (27), Pit Sippel (36), Christopher Knoch (29), and Leon Haupt (27), the founders of Phelas. To achieve this ambitious goal, we are working together as a team in three main areas of Phelas. Justin Scholz and Christopher Knoch are responsible for corporate and business development, financing, recruitment, and networking. Leon Haupt is responsible for the technical and economic modeling of energy storage and the development of business models for energy storage. Dr. Pit Sippel and Florian Kaufmann are driving process engineering and the development, planning, and implementation of the demonstrator and pilot plant. We are characterized by our shared values – some of us have known each other for a very long time, and our vision unites us: We want 100 percent renewable electricity generation to become a self-running process. The missing piece to achieve this is electricity storage. We are building this piece.
Energy storage can solve a major problem of renewable energies
Munich Startup: What problem does your startup solve?
Phelas: Over the past 20 years, the world has made progress in reducing the cost of producing renewable energy, but scalable, sustainable storage options are still lacking to fully decarbonize the energy sector.
Photovoltaics and wind power face significant challenges when it comes to integrating into the power grid. In the past, fluctuations in electrical load were compensated for by controlling conventional power plants. Due to the natural fluctuation of renewable energy sources, this is no longer a sufficient option. This trend is referred to as the "flexibility gap." Energy storage systems can solve this problem and bring the necessary flexibility to the grid.
The demand for energy storage will therefore be evenly distributed across the globe due to the shared goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and expanding renewable energy. With the development of mass-producible liquid air storage, we are ensuring that a sustainable, scalable, and resource-efficient technology is available to make the transition to 100 percent renewable energy sustainable.
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Phelas: Yes and no. Yes, we see many companies developing a wide variety of energy storage technologies. Lithium-ion batteries are the most prominent and are currently experiencing the greatest growth. However, market analysis shows that the demand for lithium batteries, both for stationary and mobile applications, must be viewed critically with regard to resource consumption and sustainability.
No, because no existing technology offers such a decisive cost advantage for large amounts of energy combined with low cyclical wear, high modularity and transportability, and outstanding environmental compatibility as Phelas. We aim to provide another effective tool for the energy transition.
Munich Startup: What have been your three biggest challenges so far?
Phelas: Time: Phelas started with just an idea. This idea was developed over almost two years. This mostly took place alongside our regular work. We invested a lot of time in the evenings and weekends to advance our vision. Our patience and perseverance have paid off so far, and we'll soon see the first fruits of our labor and be able to work together full-time on development. This will give us another significant boost.
Trust: The energy sector is strongly characterized by security and reliability. This is understandable: it provides a vital supply for our economy. And gaining a foothold here with a new technology requires a very high level of trust, which we must continue to work hard to gain in order to win customers and secure financing.
Bureaucracy: The StartupLife brings with it a diverse range of tasks that are only marginally related to the actual product. We've noticed that there are many bureaucratic hurdles and pitfalls, especially when it comes to funding, founding, and ultimately the first round of investment. This is where a larger, broadly based founding team truly pays off. With the added expertise gained from the accelerator programs, we can overcome these challenges and build the foundation for a sustainable, growing corporate structure.
“The Munich location has contributed a lot to Phelas’ history”
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Phelas: In a year, we will be working on finalizing the demonstrator and, in parallel, we already have a partner for the pilot project. As mentioned, trust in the technology is key to success in the energy sector. The demonstrator and the pilot project are therefore essential milestones on the path to commercialization.
In five years, we will already be delivering commercial systems. The focus in five years will be on acquiring new projects and scaling up production.
Munich Startup: How do you rate Munich as a startup location?
Phelas: The Munich location has contributed significantly to Phelas' history so far. First of all, three of the four founders are from here, so we share a common hometown. But even more important for Phelas is the support we received from the Technical University of Munich in the early stages. This has given us even better access to the existing, truly strong local network of industry and research. We're also already noticing that Munich is an attractive location for many top international talents—we're talking to potential team members from both within and outside of the EU.
Munich Startup: Quick exit or long breath?
Phelas: Definitely long-lasting! Our technology has the potential to help shape the storage landscape of the future sustainably and globally. We are at a key turning point in our energy systems, which means that the coming years and decades will be particularly exciting for energy storage. Our goal is to take a leading role in this – and that will only be possible with a truly long-term perspective.
