Metalot Foundation policy plan and accountability

Metalot is a non-profit research organization (SBI code 7112 for research) with ANBI status (General Benefit Organization) pending.

The impact of metals in the energy transition

The use of metals as a sustainable energy carrier offers enormous opportunities for the global energy transition. 

The advantages of fossil fuels that we are so used to, such as long-term strategic storage of energy, applicability at any location and at any time, and broad applicability in all kinds of processes in industry. But unlike fossil fuels, metals have no CO₂ emissions, less harmful nitrogen emissions and are renewable.

The global challenge

The challenge is not only in the technology, but also in the social embedding.
To create social support, a market and belief are needed to use metals as an energy carrier alongside other ‘sustainable’ energy carriers.

Because the technology is still young and relatively unknown, it is not yet widely accepted.
It is therefore essential to bring the possibilities and solutions that metals offer to the attention of as many stakeholders as possible, such as end users and policy makers. In this way, the market can be shaped.

Looking at other energy carriers, it is necessary to build an ecosystem consisting of a diversity of players to enable market diversification and resilience.

After all, together we are stronger.

The importance of a strong ecosystem

Especially in the first phases of life, it is crucial that the players in the ecosystem strengthen each other through collaboration and projects in which everyone's strengths are central.

Players are naturally focused on achieving their own goals. To make the higher goal of the ecosystem succeed, an overarching independent body without commercial interest is required. An organization that helps every player in the ecosystem to move forward by:

• Initiating projects that contribute to scaling up;
• Setting up financing for projects (whether or not through co-financing);
• Integrating acquired knowledge with the ecosystem;
• Breathing a joint message to the world;
• Linking end users to players in the ecosystem;
• Lobbying on behalf of the ecosystem with policymakers at (inter)national level;

Since its foundation in 2016, this has been Metalot's goal: building the ecosystem and ensuring traction and impact of the technology in the world.

Organizational form

Metalot is a non-profit research organization (SBI code 7112 for research) with ANBI status (Algemeen Nut Beogende Instelling) pending.

What does Metalot do for you?

Positioning metals as sustainable energy carriers in the market by:

• Linking Metal Power Community members to your ambitions.
• Setting up project financing aimed at scaling the technology towards commercialisation.
• Lobbying for legislation and regulations at (inter)national level.
• Making knowledge acquired by Metalot itself available to the entire ecosystem.

What does this mean for you?

• Project financing.
• Taking accelerated technological steps.
• Better visibility to the market.
• Focus on further development and sales.

Our ground rules

Metalot is a non-profit research organisation (SBI code 7112 for research) with ANBI status (General Benefit Organisation) pending.

In short, this means we will do everything within our power to help the ecosystem and community their common goal ‘Building traction and impact’ succeed without any commercial interest.

However, because we are registered as a non-profit organisation and position ourselves as the independent community manager of the Metal Power Community who treats every member equally, we have set the following limits for ourselves:

• Metalot receives contributions from governments (province, municipality, universities) and these parties do not allow government funds to be used through them for commercial activities for specific commercial parties;
• Metalot is not involved in the sale of applications of any kind, this is exclusively to the parties concerned;
• Metalot does not build up intellectual property itself.

What income does Metalot have?

Primary

• Memberships, donorships and founding father contributions are considered non-commercial because there is no return service.
• Research funds from research projects from research the results of which are of general interest (and of which results are made public in order not to give one or more parties an advantage), these are not commercial activities.

Secondary

• Research resources from contract research with third parties and of which the results are not shared but retained for the contracting party. These are commercial activities at a (higher) commercial rate. This is in accordance with the working method of universities. With regard to commercial activities, it is conceivable that Metalot organizes events for third parties, rents out lab space to third parties, carries out services or research for individual clients such as business case assessments for third parties. All of this is done for individual clients, the costs are invoiced directly, and any results are not shared publicly.

In projects with commercial parties in which commercial activities are also carried out, Metalot only fulfils a facilitating and investigative role and Metalot itself will not carry out any commercial activities. In order to comply with this, Metalot will share the knowledge it acquires for its own research part in these projects as much as possible publicly with the entire ecosystem with the aim of helping all parties move forward, not just the project parties involved. Knowledge from other parties is of course not shared and is intended for those parties.

Management of finances and assets

The Managing Director (MD) of Metalot Future Energy Lab (FEL) is responsible for the financial administration and is supported by an external accountant and tax consultancy firm. The MD is accountable to the board of the Metalot foundation, consisting of five directors from academia, industry, government and the community. The board decides annually on the budget and the annual accounts of the Metalot foundation and Metalot FEL. Metalot is not a profit-making organization but will use any surpluses for investment in research within and outside Metalot. In the event of dissolution, any positive balance of the dissolved foundation will be spent on behalf of a public benefit institution.

Remuneration policy

The directors do not receive any remuneration for their work, unless compensation is granted to individual directors with the consent of all directors in office. All directors are entitled to reimbursement of the costs incurred by them in the performance of their duties.

Accountability and Data

RSIN number: 857118651