What's happening in .GUT?

Once a bustling airport, now a springboard into the future – Tegel is writing a completely new chapter in Berlin's startup scene! The .GUT initiative has transformed this iconic location into a vibrant center for entrepreneurs, thinkers, and innovators. Amidst all this, we had the opportunity to interview Dorina Döring from flint.

Why dirt (yes, dirt!) could be the hottest trend in clean energy

Their solution is simple: the sun provides us with more than enough energy. The only problem: the sun doesn't always shine – so how do we make the energy available at those times?
The trick is to store it. With thermal storage made of refractory bricks, abundance is not only possible – it's already a reality.

"Scarcity is not the problem – distribution is"—This statement seems bold at first.
But: Globally, we have 20 times the energy we need. And yet there seems to be an energy shortage. Why? Poor distribution.

And we're not just talking about charging cell phones. Industrial heat – the kind of heat used for baking cookies or melting metal – accounts for 20% of global energy consumption. That's the real challenge.But how do you use this energy for industrial heat?
Dorina thinks of… dirt. Her team manufactures thermal storage units from refractory bricks – essentially baked earth. When there is surplus solar or wind energy, these bricks are heated to glowing temperatures – up to 1,000 °C – storing the energy as heat. Later, factories use exactly this heat – instead of the heat from a gas burner.

No toxic materials, no explosions – just hot bricks. They are low-maintenance, last 30 years, and charge up when green energy is cheap or free. That's a huge advantage for factories struggling with unpredictable energy prices.

Want to see the future of clean energy? Then don't look up. Look down. 😉

Do you run a manufacturing company in the food and beverage industry that requires process heat – or do you know someone who does? Dorina is currently looking for 50 short conversations (approx. 20 minutes each) with people from operations.
Get in touch with her – a short conversation is enough!