Overview
Terrajoule provides a dispatchable solar energy and storage system for industrial and agricultural customers as an alternative to diesel generators and conventional PV+battery setups. Its DG-S platform uses concentrated solar power with parabolic troughs to generate steam, which runs a Skinner Universal Unaflow steam piston engine connected to an AC generator, with thermal energy stored in large pressurized-water vessels for 24/7 on-site power. The approach relies on thermal storage instead of lithium-ion batteries and uses a steam engine instead of a traditional turbine or inverter-based system. The goal is to deliver a cost-effective, on-demand power plant that can replace diesel in off-grid or grid-adjacent operations; the company was founded in 2009, raised an $11.5 million Series A in 2013, and is listed as out of business by 2019–2021.
Work here?Claim your company
Simplify's take
What believers are saying
- ECT completed the Terrajoule acquisition on December 24, 2025, unlocking Rice licensing.
- ECT raised A$3.25 million in 2025, funding development and field trials through 2026.
- Management expects 2026 field trials to refine commercialization and support product positioning.
What critics are saying
- PitchBook listed Terrajoule out of business by 2021, signaling a broken operating franchise.
- ECT classified Terrajoule as an asset acquisition, not a business, implying minimal operating substance.
- Missing 2026 commercial soil-remediation contract leaves the 2027 milestone and valuation stranded.
What makes Terrajoule unique
- Terrajoule’s original edge was dispatchable solar using thermal storage, not lithium batteries.
- The 2025 ECT deal repurposed Terrajoule into Rice University’s flash-joule-heating platform.
- Performance-right milestones tie value to 5-kilogram soil remediation and US$2.5 million contracts.
Help us improve and share your feedback! Did you find this helpful?