By futureTEKnow | Editorial Team
The energy transition is pushing power grids to their limits. Grid congestion is now a critical challenge as electricity demand accelerates, but traditional upgrades are slow, expensive, and disruptive. Enter AssetCool, a Leeds-based deeptech company that’s reimagining how we enhance the world’s electrical infrastructure.
AssetCool’s breakthrough lies at the intersection of robotics and materials science. Instead of rebuilding aging power lines, the company has developed a proprietary coating platform that can boost the capacity of overhead lines by up to 30%—and at a cost up to 20 times lower than conventional solutions.
This approach not only saves money but also dramatically shortens deployment times, making it possible to respond to grid needs with unprecedented agility.
The secret sauce is in AssetCool’s advanced nanomaterial coatings. These are systematically optimized for overhead conductors, directly enhancing their thermal performance. The coatings can be applied to both new and existing lines, improving efficiency and resilience without the need for major infrastructure overhauls.
What really sets AssetCool apart is its CapacityN robotic platform. This agile system is engineered to apply functional coatings directly to overhead power lines, even while they remain in service125. The robots can address a range of grid constraints, including:
Limited transmission capacity
Corrosion
Noise from corona discharge
CapacityN robots are also equipped to collect physical data, which is then analyzed with AI to provide actionable insights for grid operators. This data-driven approach enables ongoing performance validation and opens the door to additional services, such as predictive maintenance.
AssetCool’s recent £10 million Series A funding round was led by Energy Impact Partners (EIP), with support from Extantia Capital, Taronga Group, and the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund. The oversubscribed round reflects strong confidence in AssetCool’s ability to deliver rapid, scalable, and cost-effective grid upgrades.
AssetCool’s technology is already being deployed with utilities around the world. By enabling significant capacity increases without the delays and costs of traditional upgrades, AssetCool is positioning itself as an essential partner for grid operators navigating the energy transition.
Key innovations like:
Robotic in-situ coating application
Thermal-management nanomaterials
AI-driven grid analytics
are reshaping the way we think about grid modernization. As the demand for electricity grows, solutions like AssetCool’s will be vital for building a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable energy future.
AssetCool is proving that the future of grid upgrades isn’t about tearing down and rebuilding—it’s about enhancing and optimizing what we already have, with a little help from robotics and cutting-edge chemistry.
Founded in 2018, futureTEKnow is a global database dedicated to capturing the world’s most innovative companies utilizing emerging technologies across five key sectors: Artificial Intelligence (AI), immersive technologies (MR, AR, VR), blockchain, robotics, and the space industry. Initially launched as a social media platform to share technology news, futureTEKnow quickly evolved into a comprehensive resource hub, spotlighting the latest advancements and groundbreaking startups shaping the future of tech.
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