SF ENERGY SRL

SF Energy is an innovative start-up that has patented a turbocharger capable of transforming the way refrigerators and heat pumps operate.

Inspired by Tesla’s bladeless turbine, SF Energy’s proprietary technology integrates a bladeless turbine with a standard compressor commonly used in refrigeration and heat pump systems. The resulting turbocharger, manufactured entirely through 3D printing, recovers the pressure difference normally throttled across the expansion valve by replacing it altogether.

By harnessing this normally wasted energy, the system can reduce the compressor’s electrical power consumption by up to -40%.

Through collaborations with both local and international partners, SF Energy is advancing the development of its technology and adapting it to a wide range of applications.

The sectors that could benefit from this reduction in energy consumption are extremely diverse, from food and pharmaceutical refrigeration, to building and data-center cooling; from space heating to industrial high-temperature heat generation (via high-temperature heat pumps), all the way to cryogenic applications such as LNG and hydrogen.

A major milestone has been the company’s success in the 2025 “Collabora e Innova” funding program, through which the consortium led by SF Energy secured financing for the construction and testing of the first prototype, aimed at validating the technology and demonstrating its techno-economic feasibility.