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New type of hydrogen-fired generator for power and other markets |
Fuel cells and internal combustion engines have been the only mechanisms designed to take advantage of
hydrogen's capabilities so far, but design limitations have made them expensive. What if a mechanical
motor/generator could be made powered by hydrogen as a clean fuel, required far less moving parts, was more reliable, and much cheaper to manufacture than existing competitors? This company has been working on such a device and appears to have a large, multi-use market, and is seeking more funding for R&D. |
HY-Energy Systems |
October, 2012 |
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Prerevenue technology and products for EVs and PHEVs battery systems |
Electric vehicles require advanced battery systems to provide reliable power. This startup is focused on developing scalable, flexible, standardized, smart battery modules for EVs. It intends to commercialize its technology to make EV battery systems safer, longer life and more reliable while reducing cost. It believes its product will shorten the time-to market of EV development, reducing vehicle operating cost and aggregating volume of modules to enable mass production. |
Delaware Power Systems |
January, 2013 |
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Hypoallergenic natural rubber extraction technology for $65B market |
This company has developed a clean process for the extraction of natural rubber from rubber bearing plants and designed an automatic and continuous rubber extractor. Instead of using chemicals, solvents or water, the extraction process is dry, which is environment-friendlier, more efficient and less cost-intensive compared to competing technologies, according to the company. In addition to selling extraction equipment, the company intends to itself produce natural rubber, hypoallergenic latex and inulin – a prebiotic food additive that can also be used in the production of ethanol. |
KOK Technologies |
October, 2012 |
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Renewable fuel additive for improving gas mileage within existing infrastructure |
Since MTBE has been phased out as a fuel oxygenate/octane booster, ethanol has been used to replace it. This company points out that adding ethanol to gasoline reduces the energy content of the fuel, and can damage engines not designed to burn ethanol. The company says it has patented processes for producing glycerol tert-butyl ether (GTBE), a drop-in replacement for MTBE which has none of the undesirable qualities of MTBE or ethanol, is a better octane booster, and is produced using waste glycerin as feedstock. |
CPS Biofuels |
December, 2012 |
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Automated stand-alone micro biodiesel refineries for decentralized fuel & power |
Within a fully automatic 10ft. containerized high-tech unit, this Germany-based company produces biodiesel and generates power from a variety of oil-bearing feedstock using catalyzed transesterification in several patent-pending production steps. The company claims the produced biodiesel meets EU quality standards, while efficiency of production is comparable to industrial size plant production. The product is intended to be suitable as stand-alone for remote areas as well as for industrial size operation when several modules are linked. |
Enerdice |
June, 2012 |
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LED system co. with BMS ambitions and brand name traction |
Commercial LED lighting today requires expensive drivers, heat sinks, and power supplies, in addition to the cost of the LEDs. This San Francisco-based company believes it obviates 75+% of those non-LED-related costs courtesy of a fundamentally new centralized power supply/("power router") design that could prove disruptive for commercial lighting and, ultimately, for building management systems (BMSes) because of advanced sensing and data capabilities enabled by the lighting. PG&E, Google, NASA and others have agreed to sponsor trials and support co-development efforts. |
Eutricity |
January, 2013 |
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Safe, easy-to-install green building insulation batt, $3B+ market |
This company uses agricultural waste to manufacture what it says is the only safe, easy-to-install insulation on the market, and plans to be in the black in the first year of production. Builders today have to satisfy demands for green buildings, but the only other green insulation batt is difficult to transport and store and costs 3x more than other batts to install. This new company, with recognition from the Cleantech Open and West Coast Green, says it has generated over $3M in verbal orders for its sheep’s wool-based insulation. |
Bellwether Materials |
December, 2012 |
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Marine power design with reduced complexity, manufacturing & service cost |
Water Wall Turbine (WWT) is pursuing a commercially viable system for extracting both potential and kinetic energy from water currents. It seeks a unique niche in the production of power that is both eco- and bio-friendly. WWT's focus lies on the commercial development of renewable energy generation systems for large scale energy extraction from tidal and freshwater currents with a design that keeps its drivetrain above the water for reduced complexity, manufacturing and servicing cost. |
Water Wall Turbine |
December, 2012 |
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Highest ROI for any CO2 reuse technologies |
Mantra’s Electro-Reduction of Carbon Dioxide (ERC) system is intended to reduce the problem greenhouse gas CO2 and convert it into a series of valuable chemicals, a form of carbon capture and recycling (CCR). There are currently 27 Billion metric tonnes of CO2 emitted annually from fossil fuel combustion, an inexhaustible supply of feedstock. The first product is formic acid (HCOOH) which commands a market of approximately USD $1 billion. ERC technology passed the lab stage, and is ready to be tested in the field. |
Mantra Energy Alternatives |
June, 2012 |
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Home area network (HAN) management platform for the smart grid |
Despite extensive advanced metering investments, the ability to have homes intelligently react to energy supply or share energy usage data has not been sufficiently addressed. Embedded Automation's mHome platform allows partners and consumers to extend the intelligence of the smart grid into the home, and allows homes to adapt to the utility’s energy supply, gather granular energy usage information and have the ability to backhaul this data to a cloud for review and analysis. The system also monitors gas and water. |
Embedded Automation |
June, 2013 |