Homerun enters intellectual property deal with Alliance

Executive Summary

• Homerun Resources Inc. (via its subsidiary Homerun Energy USA Inc.) has executed an Intellectual Property Agreement (IPA) with Alliance for Sustainable Energy LLC (operator of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, or NREL).
• The agreement grants Homerun an option to license certain intellectual property related to particle-based thermal energy storage and silica calcination purification, originally developed under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA).
• A new patent application has been filed for the invention resulting from the CRADA, specifically relating to a thermal energy storage system integrated with silica sand purification processing.

Key Details

• Agreement Structure: Homerun Energy USA Inc. signed an IPA with Alliance for Sustainable Energy LLC.
• Option Terms: The IPA grants Homerun an option to license the intellectual property for a period of 12 months, subject to continuing negotiations during that period.
• Underlying Technology: The IP portfolio includes issued patents and patent applications filed in the U.S., Canada, and Brazil. The technology was originally developed using funding from ARPA-E.
• New Patent Application: A new patent application was filed for the invention resulting from CRADA No. CRD-23-24168.
• Innovation Specifics:
  • The system combines a sand thermal energy storage process with a silica purification process.
  • Silica sand serves as both the thermal energy storage medium and the final product of the silica purification process.
  • Storage charging/discharging devices and silica calcination/drying devices are contained within a single system.
• Commercialization Requirements: Alliance requires Homerun to use commercially reasonable efforts to bring the IP to market through a thorough, vigorous, and diligent commercialization program.
• AI Integration: Homerun Energy will integrate its advanced artificial intelligence energy management and control system (EMS) into the NREL system. This includes AI integration into the Edge hub and cloud to optimize energy capture, maximize storage efficiency, and enable services such as energy trading.
• Sustainable Impact & Revenue Streams:
  • The system synergizes energy storage with silica purification to maximize energy utilization.
  • It recovers and reuses process heat for internal plant operations and external industrial customers (pulp and paper, food, chemicals, metallurgical applications, and data centers).
  • Revenue channels include power sales, industrial process heat contracts, and processed silica materials supply.

Notable Quotes

• Brian Leeners, CEO: "This IPA is the culmination of a two-year partnership between Homerun and NREL, and is the realization of the synergy across the Homerun vertical strategy, where our unique silica sand facilitates particle-based energy storage and silica calcination purification integrated with the Homerun Energy EMS to complete and advance the potential commercial offerings."
• Brian Leeners, CEO: "Working with the team at NREL, led by Zhiwen Ma, has fast-tracked the development cycle to where we are today at the precipice of commercialization into a global electrification revolution demanding economic long-life, long-duration energy storage and industrial heating/cooling solutions."