The South African company Volstora, formerly Zenon Energy *, has recently settled in Arnhem. Volstora offers revolutionary solutions for energy storage. As far as Volstora is concerned, this is a must if we want to move towards 100% sustainable energy. Oost NL supported the company in its establishment.
Volstora is a manufacturer of future-proof energy storage systems and batteries. They have developed a proprietary technology that gives batteries an extra long life. This longevity is also the biggest difference compared to competitors, says Duan van 't Slot, founder of Volstora: "The batteries we make last 25 years. So your solar panels and the batteries have the same life span. The way I see it, that is the only way to actually realize the energy transition. Because if you have to replace your batteries every 5 to 10 years, that is no future. This way you get your investment out of the solar panels and that makes it much more logical and attractive."
Volstora was helped by Oost NL in its search for a suitable location. Industriepark Kleefse Waard (IPKW) in Arnhem turned out to be the best choice, already the industrial park has a strong focus on clean energy and circular solutions. "It was a very warm contact. Oost NL helped us enormously and pointed us towards Arnhem. They told us we had the same ideas as the city, so we were immediately enthusiastic. Here at IPKW we are all companies that want to make the world a bit better. It gives a lot of energy, it feels like family. Soon, we will move to Connectr as well. Then, I expect that the feeling of openness will only grow stronger."
Janet de Rooy-Smid, advisor Tech & Energy at Oost NL, supported Volstora in their establishment in the East of the Netherlands. "Volstora complements an existing ecosystem of companies involved in energy, hydrogen and energy storage at IPKW. It is great that Arnhem is seen as an attractive location for companies that contribute to social challenges such as reducing the use of fossil fuels."
Volstora tries to adapt as many of its battery components as possible to local alternatives. The company also looks locally for technical staff and interns. "For us, that makes the most sense. I live in Utrecht, our sales director lives in Zwolle and our investors in Amsterdam. Yet we all like to come to Arnhem, because of the energy. For us, that is the reason to stay here. The location is also important. From here we reach not only the Dutch market, but also the European market. We offer a solution to a problem that many more countries are facing."
* Zenon Energy has rebranded to Volstora (May 2023)
