Bluepoint "Climasalon" Discusses ESS Business and Technological Innovation

Climasalon Brings Together Climate and Energy Community on March 19
Discussions Cover ESS Business Models and R&D Trends

Deep-tech accelerator Bluepoint Partners announced on March 26 that its climate and energy-focused community, "Climasalon," was held under the theme of "Energy Storage System (ESS) Business and Technological Innovation."

Bluepoint Partners announced that it held the climate and energy community event "Climasalon" on the 19th.
Photo by Bluepoint Partners

On March 19, with space provided by D.CAMP, a startup hub operated by Korea Credit Guarantee Fund, Climasalon brought together representatives from academia, industry, and research institutes—including corporations, startups, and research organizations—to discuss relevant topics.

Jaehaeng Heo, CEO of Raon Friends, analyzed ESS business models in light of the restructuring of the Korean electricity market. Heo pointed out that as the market shifts from a production-centric paradigm to one focused on operations and flexibility, various revenue models are emerging, including tolling contracts, capacity payments (CP), energy arbitrage, and ancillary services. In particular, he emphasized that the deepening "duck curve" phenomenon, driven by the expansion of renewable energy, will structurally boost ESS demand.

Yoonsun Hwa, Director at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER), introduced trends in the research and development of large-capacity, long-duration ESS. As the need for long-duration renewable energy storage grows, she explained that flow batteries—which enable the separate design of power and storage—are attracting attention as an alternative to overcome the structural limitations of lithium-ion batteries. KIER is currently conducting demonstration projects with the goal of securing long-duration ESS technology capable of storing energy for 24 hours.

Gihyun Kim, Research Fellow at Standard Energy, presented on vanadium ion battery (VIB) technology and market strategies, highlighting that VIBs—featuring a lifespan of over 100,000 cycles and high safety based on aqueous electrolytes—are targeting high-output, high-frequency applications that conventional lithium-ion batteries struggle to address. While acknowledging the "valley of death" for manufacturing startups and the reality of large-scale initial investments, he also emphasized that only startups can be first movers in this field. After the presentations, participants from academia, industry, and research institutes engaged in networking.

Seongho Lee, Senior Investment Manager at Bluepoint, stated, "As the share of renewable energy increases, the strategic value of ESS in securing grid flexibility will only grow," adding, "Climasalon will strengthen its role as an 'action-oriented community' that connects various stakeholders and creates real opportunities for collaboration and business."

Meanwhile, Climasalon is jointly planned and hosted by Bluepoint Partners, HD Hyundai Electric, KIER, the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning (KETEP), and NH Investment & Securities. Now in its third year since 2023, the event has brought together more than 1,100 participants from over 400 organizations to date.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.