Energix, a renewable energy company, is set to invest NIS 50 million ($16.4 million) over five years to create an energy-tech innovation center in collaboration with Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Engineering. This center will feature an industrial-scale laboratory for the research and development of hardware and software technologies that simulate live electricity grid conditions.
The initiative, which includes establishing an innovation hub, aims to connect researchers, entrepreneurs, and startups involved in energy technologies, providing them access to advanced testing facilities and business support. Energix will also allocate NIS 5 million for research grants to university groups and over NIS 1 million to upgrade the university’s student energy lab.
Dafna Resnik, director of the center, emphasized the need for accessible advanced research infrastructure, especially for smaller companies. The center aims to bridge the gap between academic research and commercial application, enhancing the number of Israeli energy technologies reaching global markets and strengthening the country’s position in addressing future energy challenges.
Challenges in testing new technologies in realistic grid conditions are noted, with plans to seek recognition from the Israel Innovation Authority for the laboratory as national infrastructure. Initially, focus will be on simulating real-world grid conditions, facilitating hardware and software testing before market launch.
Energix, a part of the Alony Hetz group, specializes in renewable energy projects, primarily solar, energy storage, and wind power. The establishment of this center comes amid growing electricity demand due to the rise of energy-intensive infrastructures like data centers.
