Ternary Kinetics

Ternary Kinetics is a New Zealand deep-tech startup developing what it calls a 'liquid electricity' system — an energy carrier that is charged from renewable sources and then moved, stored and pumped using today's fossil-fuel transport infrastructure. The company positions the technology as a firm, quiet, zero-emission alternative to diesel generators and battery systems for mission-critical power, targeting data centers, construction sites, maritime vessels and trucking fleets. According to its own materials, the system is designed as a closed loop that requires no new transport infrastructure and can be adopted quickly and at low cost, with locally sourced fuels supporting energy security beyond fossil fuel. The company's commercial pitch centres on total cost of ownership. On its website Ternary cites a comparison for a 50 kW stationary power application in Europe, claiming its system is 48% cheaper than fossil diesel and 62% cheaper than hydrogen fuel cells. It markets the technology to industries where grid interconnection delays and diesel dependence are acute: data centers needing MW-scale backup power, construction projects seeking emissions-free site power, maritime operators requiring hotel load and propulsion energy, and trucking fleets that need to run further than batteries allow at a fraction of the CAPEX. Ternary Kinetics is led by founders with deep experience in commercialising sustainable energy and materials technologies. CEO and co-founder Sean Molloy is a chemical engineer and entrepreneur who previously co-founded Avertana, a waste-to-value technology developer, and worked at Greenlane Biogas and LanzaTech. Executive Chairman and co-founder Dr Sean Simpson is a scientist, entrepreneur and inventor best known for founding LanzaTech in New Zealand in 2005 and building it into a significant gas fermentation company. The company describes itself as built on science and engineering, with values emphasising customer need, compatibility with existing operational and regulatory systems, and delivery. As a startup, Ternary Kinetics is privately held and does not disclose a stock listing. Its operating markets include its home base of New Zealand and Europe, where it cites cost comparisons and targets industrial customers. The company's public identity is closely tied to its website, ternary.energy, which serves as the primary source for its technology claims, target industries and leadership team.

Ternary Kinetics is a New Zealand startup company developing a 'liquid electricity' energy carrier. The company emerged from the deep-tech ecosystem in New Zealand, a country with a track record in sustainable energy and materials innovation. Its leadership team is composed of second-time founders who have previously built and commercialised novel technologies. CEO and co-founder Sean Molloy is a chemical engineer and entrepreneur with 20 years of experience developing and commercialising sustainable energy and materials technologies. In 2014 he co-founded Avertana, a waste-to-value technology developer whose process produces commodity materials from titanium-rich steelmaking waste. Prior to Avertana, he worked at Greenlane Biogas in automotive biogas production and at LanzaTech on the commercialisation of gas fermentation technology for carbon capture and utilisation in sustainable fuels and chemicals. He is also chairman of Zethos, a developer of ultra-low carbon emissions zinc recovery technology. Executive Chairman and co-founder Dr Sean Simpson is a scientist, entrepreneur and inventor best known as the founder of LanzaTech, which he established in New Zealand in 2005 and built into a significant company in gas fermentation. His experience spans early-stage science through to industrial deployment. The company's public materials describe a system that is charged from renewable sources and then moved, stored and pumped using today's fossil fuel infrastructure, forming a closed loop that requires no new transport infrastructure. Ternary positions the technology for mission-critical power at any scale, from digital infrastructure to industry, and cites a total cost of ownership comparison for a 50 kW stationary power application in Europe showing its system as 48% cheaper than fossil diesel and 62% cheaper than hydrogen fuel cells. Ternary targets four main industries: data centers, construction, maritime and trucking. For data centers, it offers firm, quiet, zero-emission power on campus at MW scale to bypass utility interconnection delays and replace diesel backup generators. For construction, it provides safe, low-noise, emissions-free power for large-scale applications. For maritime, it delivers hotel load and propulsion energy, scaling from inshore ferries to deep-sea shipping. For trucking, it enables electric trucks to run further than batteries can at a fraction of the CAPEX. The company operates from New Zealand and targets customers in Europe, where it cites cost comparisons. As a privately held startup, it does not disclose financial details or a stock listing. Its website, ternary.energy, is the primary source of information about its technology, target markets and team.

• 2014

  Sean Molloy co-founds Avertana, a waste-to-value technology developer.

• 2005

  Dr Sean Simpson founds LanzaTech in New Zealand.

• Ternary Kinetics is active as a New Zealand startup developing a liquid electricity system.

Firm, clean, quiet energy for when the grid can't deliver; a lower-cost, zero-emission alternative to diesel and hydrogen fuel cells for mission-critical power.

• Liquid electricity system

  An energy carrier charged from renewable sources, moved, stored and pumped using existing fossil fuel infrastructure.

• Data center power solution

  Firm, quiet, zero-emission power on campus at MW scale to bypass utility interconnection delays and replace diesel backup generators.

• Construction power solution

  Safe, low-noise, emissions-free power for large-scale project sites.

• Maritime power solution

  Hotel load and propulsion energy, scaling from inshore ferries to deep-sea shipping.

• Trucking power solution

  Enables electric trucks to run further than batteries can at a fraction of the CAPEX.

1. 1Liquid electricity that beats diesel and batteries | Ternaryternary.energy
2. 2Who is behind Ternary? Meet the deep tech teamternary.energy
3. 3Ternary Kineticswikidata.org