CalSEED awards $2.7 million to Clean Energy Prototype Winners
Six concept awardees were selected to receive $450,000 each for their innovations. CalSEED is pleased to announce Stasis Group, Empow Lighting, Maxout Renewables, InPipe Energy, GenH and SkyCool Systems as the winners of the second Prototype Awards.
Oakland, CA – The California Sustainable Energy Entrepreneur Development (CalSEED) program is pleased to announce Stasis Group, Empow Lighting, Maxout Renewables, InPipe Energy, GenH and SkyCool Systems as the winners of the second Prototype Awards. The awardees were selected through a rigorous business plan competition where companies demonstrated the significant commercial promise of their energy innovations, each winner will receive $450,000.
“CalSEED propels clean energy ideas into commercially viable startups. This flagship program not only creates a path for innovative entrepreneurs to realize their dreams, but for California and the world to realize our ambitious climate goals” said Danny Kennedy, Chief Energy Officer of New Energy Nexus. “CalSEED is only one piece of the puzzle; we need thousands of successful clean energy startups get to market as soon as possible, if we are to achieve 100% clean energy for 100% of the community and avoid worse climate change.”
The business plan competition is closely coordinated with Cleantech Open (CTO). Eligible CalSEED Concept Awardees participate in CTO’s accelerator program, where they receive tools and insights to develop a business plan that becomes the basis of the competition’s application package. The competition is judged by CalSEED’s technical advisory committee, made up of clean energy experts volunteering their time and expertise to select the most promising clean energy innovations of the future. The selected companies are focusing their efforts on energy efficiency and renewable generation, critical areas that need new ideas and solutions.
“CalSEED represents some of the best of California’s entrepreneurial spirit and it’s this spirit that is going to help us realize our clean energy goals,” said Janea A. Scott, Vice-Chair of the California Energy Commission (CEC).”Through the California Energy Commission’s EPIC research program, CalSEED is helping entrepreneurs turn great ideas into implementable solutions and providing benefits to California ratepayers.”
CalSEED is funded through the CEC’s EPIC program, which invests approximately $120 million annually for innovative clean energy technologies and approaches benefiting the ratepayers of California’s three largest electric investor-owned utilities.
“In the business plan competition we saw truly innovative technologies, but these entrepreneurs also described the ways that scaling their technologies will create jobs, lower electricity costs, reduce air pollution, and open up clean energy solutions to people that don’t usually have access to them.” said Joy Larson, Program Director of CalSEED at New Energy Nexus.
Applications for the next round of CalSEED funding will open 28 February 2020. Please visit calseed.fund/apply for more information.
Details of companies awarded a total of $2.7 million:
Stasis Group is developing a ducted Thermal Energy Battery (TEB) for integration into a HVAC system that aims to reduce the amount of energy required to regulate indoor temperature.
Empow Lighting is developing thin and flexible LED lighting sheets that will be snapped onto existing fluorescent light fixtures as a solution for upgrading linear fluorescent lights to LEDs.
Maxout Renewables is developing a multimode all-in-one solar inverter called the Polyverter, which includes patented technologies that create an ultra-reliable, multimode, all-in-one inverter with integrated per-panel optimization, battery storage, and emergency back-up capability.
InPipe Energy is developing a technology that combines smart software controls, sensors and hardware components that works with the existing pressure reducing valves (PRVs) to generate renewable energy and precisely manage pressure in water pipelines.
GenH is developing a Mobile Envelope Dam Electrification System (MEDES), which is the first of its kind mobile, rapidly deployable, up-and-over technology for dam/hydraulic head electrification.
SkyCool Systems is developing a rooftop, radiative sky cooling panel that improves the efficiency of air conditioning and refrigeration systems through a passive method for cooling that is enabled by a patented multilayer optical coating
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About New Energy Nexus
New Energy Nexus is a non-profit international organization that strives towards an abundant world with a 100% clean energy economy for 100% of the population in the shortest time possible. To achieve this goal, we support diverse clean energy entrepreneurs with funds, accelerators and networks. We started in California and now operate programs in New York, China, India, Southeast Asia and East Africa.
For more information, please go to newenergynexus.com.
About the California Energy Commission
The California Energy Commission is leading the state to a 100 percent clean energy future. It has seven core responsibilities: developing renewable energy, transforming transportation, increasing energy efficiency, investing in energy innovation, advancing state energy policy, certifying thermal power plants, and preparing for energy emergencies.
For more information, go to energy.ca.gov.
Media Contact
Alina Eprimian: alina.eprimian@newenergynexus.com
