Energy storage is a key technology for the development and integration of renewable energy technologies and we are supercharged to say we have been retained by Swedish based Energy storage whizzes SaltX Technology.
SaltX are at the cutting edge of energy storage and have just received a massive investment to expand.
To help them on their way to growing we have been asked to recruit their new Business Development Manager (Now filled).
A full rundown of the role can be found further down the page, but first we would like to give you some background on SaltX Technology and the part energy storage has to play in the bigger picture of renewable energy.
SaltX Technology
The company is based in Sweden and they have developed and patented a cutting-edge technology in which energy can be stored in salt, then later recovered in the form of heat or cold.
SaltX Technology uses their technologies in four applications:
SunCool – Thermal solar collectors with integrated heating and cooling for buildings
HeatBoost – Gas-driven heat pumps for hot water and domestic heating
VerdAcc – Heat-driven cooling in trucks and heavy-duty vehicles
EnerStore – Storage of renewable energy
A quick overview of the tech
Think of the salt as a battery, but storing thermal energy rather than electricity.
The idea of storing thermal energy in salt is by no means a new concept. Energy is stored chemically by separating salt from water, the stored energy can be released when needed by recombining the water and salt.
Again, not a new idea, but where SaltX comes in is its use of an innovative nano-coating on the salt. Normally the above process can only be done a few times before the salt becomes sticky and there is a huge loss of efficiency. The nano-coating developed by SaltX stops the salt getting sticky. This means you can charge and discharge energy thousands and thousands of times without any loss of efficiency. Genius!
A further bonus to this particular salt energy storage system is its sustainable qualities. It’s non-toxic and can be recycled.
How the technology works
There is also nicely worded explanation of the SaltX Matrix and how it works on the website if you would like a little more reading.
Why is Energy Storage so important?
In the transition between fossil fuel to renewable energy a lot of people, quite rightly, champion the innovation of renewable energy capture. This however is only part of the transition process.
A majority of the grid systems at the moment only supply electricity in real-time so electricity has to be supplied on demand. For example, imagine when the whistle or buzzer goes for the half time break of the big game – millions of people run to put the tea on – there is a surge in electricity demand and it has to be met. The problem here for renewable energy is that some renewable energy sources are intermittent, solar when the sun’s out or wind when there’s a breeze.
Energy storage and innovative salt energy storage like SaltX play a big part in the balancing act. Energy storage systems can store excess energy and, the key part, can discharge that stored energy quickly to the grid when supply demand is high.
In essence, there needs to be a harmony between the progression of both renewable energy capture and the energy storage. Together they can provide a stable and dynamic solution to energy supply and demand.
Business Development Manager – candidate profile
- The Sales and Business Development Manager will take responsibility for driving sales activities on a global basis. You will be working closely with the VP of Sales and Business Development and the CEO,
- A natural networker with a strong strategic and analytical approach to market development, you will quickly understand the unique attributes of each country within your region and how to position SaltX Technology appropriately to generate sales activity, selecting the right route or routes to market. You will be creative, efficient and diligent in the production of winning new business.
- Finally, you will have the relationship building and negotiation skills to close the deal.
The Role:
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute operational plan to achieve sales targets and to expand the company’s sales on a global basis
- Deliver business proposals to key decision makers within organisations (C level)
- Effectively communicate the value proposition through proposals and presentations
- Establish sales targets by forecasting sales volume and profit for existing and new products; develop sales process and tactical sales plan as well as product mix and selling prices by keeping current with supply and demand, changing trends, and competitors.
- Identify market opportunities for SaltX Technology
- Building on already existing relationships to generate future income
The Requirements:
Essential:
- Proven and strong track record of sales of hardware-related products or system
- Self-Starter with a strong business development background
- An enthusiasm for growing a great company, entrepreneurial by nature, change and growth oriented
- Ability to liaise with multinational customers • Excellent presentation and negotiation skills
- Strong belief/interest in Energy Storage and the Renewable Energy sector
- Strong understanding of the global Renewable Energy industry
- Creativity and motivation for sales
- Willingness to travel regularly (100 days travel per year)
- Fluent English spoken/written are essential (Additional languages would be extremely beneficial)
- Ability to translate technical information into real customer advantages
- Ability to Identify and create business proposals
- Basic technical knowledge within energy/Physics/Chemistry or equivalent
Desirable:
- Experience in renewable energy and/or energy storage industry
- Additional languages on top of English would be highly beneficial
- Based in Northern Europe (Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Netherlands, UK)
- Experience with a start-up/smaller business would be beneficial
Karl Bohman CEO gives his overview of this role and who he is looking for.Further info:
SaltX Technology’s website.
SaltX Founder & CTO- Göran Bolin give us an overview of the businesses and its origins.
SaltX CEO Karl Bohman paints his vision for the future of SaltX.