The Potential of Enhanced Electric Motors in Combating Climate Change

Even seemingly minor advancements can significantly contribute to global climate change mitigation efforts. A prime example is the widespread adoption of LED lighting, which has resulted in substantial reductions – hundreds of millions of tons – in carbon dioxide emissions through decreased energy consumption within buildings.

New Investment in Motor Technology

Currently, companies supported by prominent figures like Robert Downey Jr. and Bill Gates are collaborating with investors including Amazon and Tony Fadell, the inventor of the iPod, to financially support Turntide Technologies. This firm believes it possesses the next pivotal innovation in the global effort to decelerate climate change: a more efficient electric motor.

While not as visually striking as advanced technologies like arc reactors, electric motors are a pervasive, yet often overlooked, technology that has remained largely unchanged since the 19th century. Like the light bulb, they are ripe for modernization.

FootPrint Coalition's Perspective

“Turntide’s technology and its approach to planetary restoration will directly lessen energy consumption,” stated Steve Levin, co-founder of FootPrint Coalition, alongside Robert Downey Jr.

Building Operations and Energy Waste

According to Turntide, building operations account for 40% of worldwide CO2 emissions. Furthermore, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) estimates that one-third of the energy utilized in commercial buildings is lost due to inefficiency.

Smart building technologies introduce an intelligent control layer to minimize this waste by automating systems like lighting, air conditioning, heating, and ventilation. Turntide’s advanced electric motors can provide further energy savings.

This potential has spurred investors to contribute over $100 million to Turntide within the past six months.

Technology Development and Commercialization

The company, under the leadership of chief executive and chairman Ryan Morris, is bringing to market technology originally developed at the Illinois Institute of Technology.

How Turntide's Motors Differ

Turntide’s core innovation lies in a software-controlled motor, known as a switch reluctance motor, which employs precise energy pulses rather than a continuous electrical flow. “In a traditional motor, current is constantly supplied regardless of the desired speed,” Morris explained. “We deliver precise current pulses only when torque is needed… It’s hardware defined by software.”

The technology underwent 11 years of development, partially due to limitations in available computing power, as noted by Morris.

Morris initially participated in an investment firm, Meson Capital, which acquired the technology in 2013. It took an additional four years of development before the motors could be successfully tested in pilot programs. The subsequent three years were dedicated to developing a commercialization strategy and demonstrating the technology’s value in its primary market: retrofitting heating, ventilation, and cooling systems in buildings – a major contributor to the 28% of carbon dioxide emissions generated by the built environment.

A Global Vision

“Our mission is to replace all of the motors in the world,” Morris declared.

He estimates that the technology is applicable to 95% of current electric motor applications, but the initial focus will be on smart buildings due to their accessibility and potential for significant, immediate energy reductions.

“The environmental impact of our work is substantial,” Morris stated. “Average energy reductions in buildings have been 64%. Replacing all motors in U.S. buildings could sequester over 300 million tons of carbon annually.”

Investor Confidence

This potential has attracted investment from Footprint Coalition, Breakthrough Energy Ventures (Bill Gates’ firm), Fifth Wall Ventures, the Amazon Climate Fund, Future Shape (Tony Fadell’s venture), BMW’s iVentures fund, and numerous other investors.

The company has secured approximately $180 million in funding, including an $80 million investment round finalized in October.

Expanding Applications: Electric Vehicles

Currently, Turntide’s primary focus is on buildings, as evidenced by their recent acquisition of Riptide IO, a building management software developer based in Santa Barbara, California. However, the technology also holds promise in another large industry: electric vehicles.

“We will be involved in electric vehicles within two years,” Morris confirmed.

“Our technology offers significant advantages for the EV industry. It eliminates the need for rare earth minerals, which are expensive, environmentally damaging to mine, and largely controlled by China. We don’t utilize exotic materials, rare earth minerals, or magnets… Instead, we leverage advanced software and computation. This marks the first instance where Moore’s Law applies to motor technology.”

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