1. Climate Change: Burning fossil fuels releases large amounts of CO2 and other green house gases, driving global warming and extreme weather.

2. Air and Environmental Pollution: fossil fuel extraction and use causes air, water and soil pollution, harming ecosystems and human health.

3. Energy insecurity and high costs: Fossil fuels are finite and subject to geopolitical risks making energy supply and prices unstable for industries.

Alterno´s clean thermal energy solutions offer a practical, scalable, and carbon-reducing alternative to fossil fuels for industries that are traditionally hard to decarbonize.

Alterno-s sand battery stores high-temperature thermal energy (up to 600-C) using abundant, low-cost materials like sand and graphite, with minimal heat loss and zero emissions. The system has demonstrated the ability to cut energy costs and drastically reduce emissions in agricultural processing and industrial heat applications.

ZBF will support the development of infrastructure and commercial networks necessary to bring Alterno-s groundbreaking solutions to the Americas and Europe, starting with pilot projects in key agro-industrial and manufacturing sectors.

The first phase of the collaboration will focus on Latin America, the United States, and key European markets, where Alterno-s modular sand battery and hybrid thermal systems will be adapted to local industrial and agricultural heat needs. ZBF will also facilitate investment, regulatory navigation, and partnerships with climate-forward corporations and governments.

This partnership marks a critical step in accelerating the global energy transition - delivering clean, affordable, and accessible thermal energy to the sectors that need it most.