Odqa hits 800C solar heat in Spain and melts aluminium in Oxford lab

By AI, Created 11:35 AM UTC, May 20, 2026, /AGP/ – Odqa says it has reached 800C solar thermal heat in field trials in Spain and melted aluminium using hot air in an Oxford lab. The UK startup says the milestones move concentrated solar heat closer to replacing fossil fuels in heavy industry.

Why it matters: - Heavy industry uses high-temperature heat for aluminium, steel, cement, glass and ceramics. - Those processes account for about 20% of global carbon emissions, making industrial heat a major decarbonization target. - Odqa’s approach aims to cut exposure to fossil fuel price swings and improve energy security for manufacturers.

What happened: - Odqa completed a full-system demonstration at the Plataforma Solar de Almería in Spain. - The system reached 800C under real sunlight. - The demonstration used a solar tower, an air-based receiver and thermal rock storage. - Odqa says the facility dried mineral rock using heat drawn from storage, showing the system can provide continuous heat. - In a separate lab trial at Odqa’s Oxford facility, the startup melted aluminium using only hot air. - Odqa says the lab result validates temperatures above 1,000C in testing for metals applications.

The details: - The technology uses concentrated solar thermal systems to capture sunlight and produce super-heated air. - Odqa says the field trial shows industrial-scale, carbon-free heat can be delivered 24/7 with thermal storage. - The company describes the lab trial as a bench-scale proof of concept. - Odqa is targeting sectors that need process heat at temperatures up to 800C. - The startup says conventional low-carbon options such as direct electrification and heat pumps are too costly or cannot sustain the required temperatures above 200C. - Odqa is an Oxford University spin-out backed by Oxford Science Enterprises. - The company says its technology combines aerospace and Formula 1 engineering know-how with thermal storage. - Odqa is targeting mining, metals and ceramics customers. - The company includes a company announcement in its release.

Between the lines: - The Spain trial is more important than a lab result because it shows the system working in real sunlight and not just under controlled conditions. - The aluminium milestone matters because metals are among the hardest industrial sectors to decarbonize at high temperatures. - Odqa is positioning concentrated solar thermal as a firmer alternative to electrification for certain heavy industrial uses. - The company is also signaling that long-duration thermal storage may be the key to making solar heat usable around the clock.

What’s next: - Odqa is pushing toward commercial use in hard-to-abate industries that need high-temperature process heat. - The company says the milestones support a path to net-zero targets and more predictable long-term energy costs. - Further validation and scale-up will determine whether the system can move from demonstration to deployment.