Moonwatt is a European energy storage startup headquartered in Amsterdam, Netherlands, founded in 2024 by seasoned executives including CEO Zukui Hu, CTO Guillaume Mancini, and CCO Valentin Rota, all of whom bring expertise from Tesla’s energy division. The company is dedicated to advancing next-generation sodium-ion battery technology to resolve the intermittency challenges associated with solar energy and accelerate the transition to a decarbonized power grid.
Moonwatt’s systems are specifically designed to co-locate energy storage with utility-scale solar power plants, enabling renewables to compete with fossil fuels in terms of reliability and cost. By leveraging the abundance and affordability of sodium—a material 1,000 times more plentiful than lithium—their batteries reduce costs, enhance safety, and improve the efficiency of energy storage. This approach positions Moonwatt at the forefront of creating scalable, low-voltage storage solutions that boost solar plant capacity factors, stabilize energy prices, and reduce grid congestion.
Battery Technology
Central to Moonwatt’s offerings is its sodium-ion battery technology, engineered to overcome drawbacks of lithium-ion systems while maximizing performance for large-scale solar integration. Sodium-ion’s raw materials are vastly abundant, cheaper, and less geographically concentrated than lithium, reducing supply chain risks and costs by up to one-third. Moonwatt’s batteries employ a modular, decentralized architecture that distributes energy storage units directly within or adjacent to solar arrays. This design uses low-voltage direct current (DC) coupling instead of traditional higher-voltage alternating current (AC) setups, minimizing energy losses during conversion and transmission.
The company’s integrated hardware and software systems include modular battery enclosures, string hybrid inverters tailored for solar arrays, and advanced Battery Management Systems (BMS). These components work together to optimize energy capture and distribution, raising solar plant capacity factors from 15–20% to as high as 80%. By aligning storage with peak solar generation, Moonwatt’s technology helps stabilize power output, reduce reliance on grid infrastructure, and enable round-the-clock renewable energy supply. The system’s scalability—from hundreds of kilowatts to gigawatt-scale projects—supports both new installations and retrofits of existing solar farms, catering to greenfield projects and repowering initiatives.
Recent Projects
Moonwatt recently secured €8 million ($8.3 million) in seed funding in 2024, supported by investors such as daphni, LEA Partners, and AFI Ventures. This capital will accelerate hardware-software integration, team expansion, and the development of pilot installations slated for Europe in 2026. The pilot deployments aim to validate the company’s technology before larger-scale commercial rollouts, planned for 2027. These projects target utility-scale solar plants and commercial sites, demonstrating Moonwatt’s ability to enhance energy resilience and reduce intermittency barriers.
Investors
Moonwatt’s investor network includes leading firms and strategic partners dedicated to advancing sustainable energy. Notable backers include venture capital firms daphni (specializing in clean tech), LEA Partners, and Founders Future, alongside AFI Ventures (managed by Ventech) and Kima Ventures. Additionally, strategic business angels and prospective customers have contributed to the company’s funding. This collaborative ecosystem underscores Moonwatt’s position as a key player in enabling solar energy’s global adoption through cost-effective storage solutions.
Business Details
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Website: https://www.moonwatt.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/104743284
