In Israel, 2025, as summer brings unbearable heat waves and energy demand continues to rise, a small group of Israeli entrepreneurs has managed to develop innovative materials that cool the environment without any additional energy consumption. This is a story about a brilliant idea, continuous experimentation, and potential impact that could change the rules of the game – from our homes to military bodies and global corporations.
Behind the development are two Israeli minds: Yaron Shenhav, an electrical engineer and CEO of SolCold, who led the technological development after years in the high-tech industry, and Prof. Guy Ron, the company’s chief scientist and an expert in nuclear physics and laser cooling, who guided the scientific development from the lab to industrial implementation. Together, they managed to turn complex physical principles – including depth-based radiation reflection, high-frequency light emission, and blackbody radiation in space – into a solution that cools anything exposed to sunlight.
“Who needed ice?” I asked Shenhav as he recalled the first moments of the discovery. “It sounded like magic, and that was exactly the question the first investors asked us,” he replied. But the idea, as far-fetched as it seemed, was born from a deep understanding of energy levels, materials, and their interaction with light. “During my master’s degree, I focused on manipulating energy levels and materials. I learned that a hot state is an energetic state,” Shenhav explains. “But what I discovered was that, in theory, it is possible to invest light in a way that causes particles to lose energy and cool down.”
Initially, the idea remained theoretical, until the two decided to take the next step and test it in the lab. “It didn’t happen in one day,” Shenhav admits. “It was step by step, experiment after experiment, until we succeeded in emitting higher-frequency photons and making particles ‘dance’ in a way that releases energy. That’s how you get the cooling effect.”
The innovation lies in the combination of special materials that limit the amount of energy, so certain particles can only exist in two states – “0” and “1” – and release excess energy through radiation. The result is a temperature drop in the material itself, without any additional energy input. “In other words, we are not just reflecting light – we allow particles to manage their energy intelligently, and that’s what creates the cold,” he explains.
The potential was clear, and the execution, although complex, seemed entirely feasible. But the world does not always recognize an opportunity in new technology. The company began approaching investors and faced significant skepticism. “Everyone told us: ‘Research it more, get it closer to a product, and then we’ll talk.’”
Patience Paid Off
“The first deal, with a Japanese company, opened the door for us. We created a lab product, demonstrated it, and they were excited. That was the moment the world started taking us seriously.”
Starting Small
From that moment, the path was open to major corporations like Amazon, Coca-Cola, and others. “In the end, we’re talking to people, not corporations,” Shenhav explains. “When we show results, customers start getting interested, and that’s the way to grow. Working with large companies requires patience, understanding regulations, and proving clear technological capability. The investment pays off, and this allows us to create large-scale solutions, both in major factories and urban infrastructure. Usually, in 90% of cases, companies approach us as a result of our activities – publicity, conferences, or presenting a pilot.”
When they see that the product exists and works, they start requesting demonstrations and seeing results firsthand. What usually begins as a small interest gradually develops into larger projects. This is how the growth and expansion of our collaborations usually occur.”
What Makes This Patent Unique?
“Filing a patent occurs due to the company’s unique technological advancement,” says Dr. Dalia Ribonson-Segal, patent attorney and partner at the Chemistry and Life Sciences Group of Reinhold Cohen, managing SolCold’s patent portfolio. “In general, filing a patent requires understanding whether the technology is new and inventive. In this case, it was clear that there was a new technology developed by SolCold suitable for patent protection. Intellectual property is highly important as an integral part of the company’s technological and business development. From the outset, the company worked on a full patent strategy, accurately identifying innovative components worthy of protection. Patents are not just documentation of development but part of the product’s progress path, accompanying the company toward relevant markets, fundraising, and global competition.”
Not Just Energy Savings
To explain to the average reader what exactly this material does, and how it differs from any other cooling material, it should be noted that the material developed is more than just paint or thermal insulation. It is a complex system that reduces solar heat absorption and combines photons and particles in pre-defined states. The result: A 30%-40% reduction in energy required for cooling, both in private buildings and industrial hangars and facilities. “Think about a big city in summer: All the roads, buildings, and vehicles absorb heat. Reducing that heat affects not only electricity consumption but life itself,” Shenhav explains.
In recent years, SolCold has also expanded into the food sector, with contracts with soft drink giants, breweries, wineries, and dairy companies in Israel, the U.S., Brazil, and France, applying the material to storage tanks. In beer fermentation tanks, the company’s coating reduced electricity consumption for cooling by 31%, enabled production even on extremely hot days, and increased output by 0.5%, yielding a full return on investment within just six months.
In wineries, temperature drops of up to 15 degrees inside coated tanks were measured, maintaining a low temperature that enhances wine flavor and prevents oxidation, making it as if the wine fermented in France’s Champagne region. For milk tanks, the expected energy savings are approximately 19,000 kWh per tank, with a two- to three-year return on investment.
SolCold’s Glacier 110 product is currently implemented on roofs of Amazon logistics warehouses, Israel Electric Corporation containers, and chemical facilities in Israel. In a European Amazon logistics center, the company competes with U.S. technology, with an expected annual ROI of 32%, and the winner will implement the solution in all Amazon centers in the global sunbelt. Additionally, in a project with the electric company, energy consumption in a server container decreased by 30%, and a similar system is being tested with a defense company – the emphasis here is not only on savings but also on ensuring continuous operation even during heatwaves.
“As mentioned, military applications also have huge potential with this material. It can improve environmental conditions for vehicles and APCs, preserve shelf life of food and medicines in buildings and fields, and even be used in areas requiring strict temperature control. Four patents have already been registered in collaboration with the Defense Ministry and development funds, and several large companies have already shown interest in large-scale implementation.”
How Do You Cool a Glacier?
Beyond technological innovation, the company has an environmental vision. Reducing energy consumption and cooling contributes to lower carbon emissions, reduced electricity load in summer, and alleviation of urban heat issues. “The impact is not just on electricity – it’s on the entire city,” Shenhav explains. “In extreme heat, urban areas can be up to 5 degrees hotter. Our material changes that.”
The company, now employing 27 people, plans to expand production in Israel and the U.S., develop more colored products, and improve efficiency. The five-year vision is to become a company with several hundred employees, multiple factories, advanced R&D capabilities, and continue leading the solar cooling field worldwide.
The technology also opens possibilities in transportation, construction, various industries, and even – hold tight – for cooling glaciers in the process of melting, with potential to prevent significant environmental damage. “Global warming, in a sense, is our best friend,” Shenhav says. “As the heat rises, the need for our solutions only grows.”
Are You Continuing to Do Everything in Israel?
“Absolutely. The journey from the lab to the Israeli rooftop and onto the tables of industrial and military giants was accompanied by a creative, experimental, and patient process. Our location was chosen especially for both labs and demonstrations to visitors. This gives us the freedom to try, test, and show the world what our material is truly capable of.”
And the question that perhaps occupies every Israeli entrepreneur in these unusual times: How is it working as an Israeli company in the world? Does it have an impact?
“Usually it’s fine. We haven’t yet encountered a case where someone said, ‘Oh, you’re from Israel, so we won’t deal with you.’ That’s encouraging. In a way, it shows that the business world looks at things objectively, not from a national perspective. Of course, I’m realistic, and I assume that if there are cases where deals don’t progress or investors hesitate, the Israeli factor may play a small role, but overall, we don’t feel an impact.”