[klunger]

In 2013, I had an internship at a kind of industrial incubator and fund in Kongsberg, Norway[https://kongsberginnovasjon.no/?lang=en]. Although that was 11 years ago now, and a lot has certainly changed in the industry, physics has not.

At the time, they had an explicit focus on alternative energy technologies, so recieved a lot of proposals similar to this. I do not remember the details of my analyses anymore, but I do remember that every single one of them was rejected because none of them passed a basic back-of-the-envelope plausibility evaluation.

These projects basically fail because their output is poor compared to other solutions of similar or even lower cost.

It is also important to consider how much energy it takes to manufacture their solution in the first place. How long does it take for them to actually become net carbon negative? Does it even happen in the lifetime of the product? Sometimes the answer is no (in which case, what is even the point?)

[vasco]

The point might be as simple as a big building wanting reduced bills or energy independence without thinking one iota about the environment. It can also be to just signal that your big building is progressive and innovative, to attract companies to your commercial real estate.