News
New York
The Clean Fight selected to manage $10M Empire Technology Prize to advance building decarbonization in New York

New program will be essential in meeting New York State’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 85 Percent by 2050

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New York, October 4, 2022The Clean Fight today announced that it has been named the program administrator of the $10 million Empire Technology Prize (ETP) program by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The Clean Fight will lead the management and co-creation of the Empire Technology Prize, a challenge focused on advancing the decarbonization of tall buildings across New York State, working in partnership with RMI, an independent nonprofit dedicated to transforming global energy systems through market-driven solutions. The team will select a flagship partner to co-fund and co-present the prize, and with NYSERDA collectively create a blueprint for decarbonizing cold-climate buildings around the world.

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New York city skyline (Manhattan)

Focusing on New York’s buildings, which are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in New York State and are responsible for one third of annual emissions statewide, the program will identify, support, and scale the best high-growth solutions to help achieve carbon-neutrality in existing multifamily buildings at least seven stories high or commercial buildings at least 15 stories high. The prize will be a combination of business acceleration support and $10 million in monetary awards to advance low carbon retrofit approaches that will help rapidly achieve New York State’s nation-leading climate agenda.

“At NYSERDA, we are dedicated to working with global innovators to advance Governor Hochul’s ambitious building decarbonization goals in alignment with New York’s Climate Act,” said John Lochner, Vice President of Innovation at NYSERDA. “We look forward to collaborating with The Clean Fight as we launch the Empire Technology Prize, a program we’re confident will accelerate innovation and give entrepreneurs yet another reason to grow and scale their ventures in New York State.”

“Buildings are responsible for approximately a third of global greenhouse house gas emissions. If we don’t decarbonize buildings, we don’t solve the climate crisis. And where better to start than in New York,” said The Clean Fight Managing Director Kate Frucher. “We are proud to serve as the program administrator and partner with RMI on this necessarily bold and ambitious initiative from NYSERDA that has the potential to radically and equitably enhance the sustainability and resilience of New York’s real estate infrastructure, at speed.”

Critical to the success of the program is ensuring the prize is focused on solutions that meet gaps in the market with the greatest demand and emissions impact. The program will build on the market insight from the successful Empire Building Challenge, a public-private partnership designed to accelerate economic growth through the resource efficient decarbonization of tall buildings. The team will also be soliciting insight from the real estate and investment community to identify the most impactful areas of focus. To share your opinion, please visit www.thecleanfight.com/etp

“Achieving New York’s ambitious energy and climate goals requires massive decarbonization of tall and complex buildings that are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. NYSERDA’s Empire Technology Prize will jumpstart the market for Resource Efficient Decarbonization solutions and help rapidly and equitably scale integrative energy-saving technologies and services, drawing from both global state-of-the-art innovations and from homegrown entrepreneurship. RMI is thrilled to support NYSERDA and The Clean Fight in writing the next chapter of our combined history of innovative programs, prizes and accelerators and solve one of the most important climate challenges of our time.” said Stephanie Greene, Managing Director of Carbon-Free Buildings, RMI.

The Clean Fight was selected through a competitive application request. Proposals were evaluated on the basis of the applicant’s past track record of creating successful corporate challenges with activities including global recruitment, industry-focused convening, business acceleration support, strategic partnership facilitation, and leveraging private dollars.

The Empire Technology Prize program is supported through NYSERDA’s Innovation program which helps early-stage companies with technical assistance and business development resources through entrepreneurial support, and manufacturing scale-up. Applications to participate in the prize program will open in 2023.

Learn more about Empire Technology Prize at thecleanfight.com/etp, or contact Molly Dee-Ramasamy, technical consultant for the Empire Technology Prize program, at molly.deeramasamy@nyserda.ny.gov.

If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a flagship partner or partnership opportunities, contact Sagal Abshir: Sagal@thecleanfight.com

About The Clean Fight

The Clean Fight is a not-for-profit climate tech organization, powered by New Energy Nexus, designed to help the world’s best growth-stage startups significantly scale their business in New York State, while boosting economic opportunity and job creation for all. The core accelerator program is supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) and an EPIC award grant from the Department of Energy. The Clean Fight is also a member of the winning coalition New Energy New York, who were awarded $113M as part of the Biden Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge. www.thecleanfight.com

About RMI

RMI is an independent nonprofit founded in 1982 that transforms global energy systems through market-driven solutions to align with a 1.5°C future and secure a clean, prosperous, zero-carbon future for all. We work in the world’s most critical geographies and engage businesses, policymakers, communities, and NGOs to identify and scale energy system interventions that will cut greenhouse gas emissions at least 50 percent by 2030. RMI has offices in Basalt and Boulder, Colorado; New York City; Oakland, California; Washington, D.C.; and Beijing. www.rmi.org

Media Contact

Phil Chinitz

BerlinRosen

cleanfight@berlinrosen.com

Media contacts:

Tristan Tremschnig
Communications Director, New Energy Nexus
tristan.tremschnig@newenergynexus.com
(based in San Francisco, USA)

About New Energy Nexus

New Energy Nexus (NEX) is an international organization that strives towards a 100% clean energy economy for 100% of the population. It does this with a laser focus on diverse entrepreneurs, supporting them with accelerators, funds, skills, and networks they need to thrive. NEX has accelerated 1,400 startups, empowered over 9,500 entrepreneurs, and mobilized over US$3.7 billion in investment. Since its founding in California in 2004, NEX now operates programs or advisory services in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the UAE, Uganda, the USA (California and New York), and Vietnam.

Follow NEX on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube

News
Australia
Transportation tech
New international initiative calls for more Australian startups to supercharge battery innovation

Sydney, 28 September 2022 – Supercharge Australia, a new initiative that aims to develop an ecosystem in Australia to support lithium battery innovation and capture more of the lithium value chain, launches today, backed by Boundless. This follows the recent Clean Energy Demand Initiative between the US and Australia, which aims to unlock  to unlock up to $US2.8 billion in funding for Australia’s clean energy sector, and the Australia–United States Net-Zero Technology Acceleration Partnership signed in July 2022. 

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EnergyLab’s Megan Fisher (left) and NEX’s Danny Kennedy (right). Image: EnergyLab

Supercharge Australia is the first initiative of the recently announced partnership between global clean energy startup accelerator New Energy Nexus, and Australia and New Zealand’s largest climate tech startup accelerator EnergyLab.

Despite producing almost 60% of the world’s lithium, Australia retains less than 1% of the US$200 billion and rising annual product value, with 98% of the lithium mined in Australia being refined overseas.

“Australia can become a leader in lithium battery technology, from sourcing to advanced battery and EV manufacturing, and capture massive market opportunities as the world electrifies. But to do this, we need much more activity across all phases of the lithium battery value chain, and this requires more investment and more startups to meet the innovation challenge,” said Kirk McDonald, Project Manager of Supercharge Australia.

Supercharge Australia will bring the industry together to understand where innovation is required and leverage New Energy Nexus’ global expertise, including its role in the US Department of Energy’s Lithium Bridge project to accelerate the development of a robust and secure domestic supply chain for lithium-based batteries. EnergyLab’s Australian cleantech startup ecosystem experience and connections will be applied to establish a lithium battery  innovation challenge in early 2023, and to support Australian startups with expansion to international markets. Another critical element is ensuring Australia builds equity into the innovation ecosystem – recruiting diverse entrepreneurs and ensuring benefits flow to impacted communities and those traditionally excluded from the fossil fuel boom of last century.

There are already several startups in the Australian lithium battery value chain that are ready to scale [1].

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Kirk McDonald, Project Manager for Supercharge Australia at the Battery GigaFactories APAC conference in Perth, Australia.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roev is focused on providing energy-smart electric utes to Australia, with fully integrated conversions today and a locally built electric ute in the future. We support the work of Supercharge and see local battery supply as a key driver for sustainable growth in our business and the broader EV industry in Australia,” said Noah Wasmer, CEO of Roev

“EnergyLab has supported startups focused on clean energy and climate tech since 2017, Supercharge Australia means we can provide support and focus on the startups innovating in the lithium battery value chain. Australia is well positioned to capture the full value of the battery and electrification revolution. If you’re an aspiring founder, a startup, an investor, an expert, an industry player in this space and want to see growth supercharged then get involved,” said Megan Fisher, CEO EnergyLab.

“Supercharge will pave the groundwork for a battery manufacturing industry that Australia is well-placed to develop. An industry that can create quality jobs, income and carbon benefits for Australia,” said Eytan Lenko, CEO of Boundless.

“We call all Australian startups along the lithium battery value chain to massively grow Australia and the world’s most carbon-efficient and cost-effective lithium battery industry. If Australia can produce more throughout the lithium battery value chain, faster, cheaper, better, then that’s good news for the global climate, and Australia’s economy,” said Danny Kennedy, CEO of New Energy Nexus and Managing Director of the California Clean Energy Fund.

Kirk McDonald, Project Manager for Supercharge Australia, joined a panel session on “Aligning critical mineral supply chains with finance and government policy” at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence’s inaugural Battery Gigafactories Asia-Pacific Conference in Perth today.

Join Supercharge Australia at: energylab.org.au/programs/supercharge-australia 

About EnergyLab: 

EnergyLab is Australia and New Zealand’s largest climate tech startup accelerator and innovation network dedicated to reaching net zero emissions. With over 140 alumni supported through its programs, EnergyLab connects talented founders to the mentors, advisors, partners, peers and investors they need to succeed. EnergyLab programs include the Women in Climate and Energy Fellowship building the next generation of women founders; the Climate Solutions Accelerator; the Scale Up Program for later stage clean energy startups; and a climate focused angel investor network.

Notes to editor:

[1] Other startups in Australia in the lithium battery value chain include Calix, which has has developed a pilot plant with Pilbara Minerals to decarbonise and increase recovery efficiency of lithium salts from hard-rock ore in the Pilbara; Magnis has begun producing lithium ion battery cells in New York State and seeks to replicate their efforts with a new gigafactory in Townsville; Energy Renaissance is making Australian conditions-optimised lithium batteries in Tomago; Novalith has a novel CO2-based lithium recovery technology and Sicona a world-leading silicon graphite composite anode and polymer binder technology they are taking to the world from Wollongong; Janus Electric seeks to retrofit prime-movers and build large-scale, grid-supporting battery swap stations from their headquarters in Berkeley Vale; Sustainable Lithium Cells Australia refurbishes lithium battery packs in Brisbane removing them from the waste stream and extending their useful life; and Envirostream operates Australia’s first onshore, mixed-battery recycling facility in Laverton North.

Media contacts:

Kirk McDonald
Project Manager, Supercharge Australia
kirk.mcdonald@newenergynexus.com
(+61) 412 336 848

Tristan Tremschnig
Communications Director, New Energy Nexus
tristan.tremschnig@newenergynexus.com
(based in San Francisco, USA)

About New Energy Nexus

New Energy Nexus (NEX) is an international organization that strives towards a 100% clean energy economy for 100% of the population. It does this with a laser focus on diverse entrepreneurs, supporting them with accelerators, funds, skills, and networks they need to thrive. NEX has accelerated 1,400 startups, empowered over 9,500 entrepreneurs, and mobilized over US$3.7 billion in investment. Since its founding in California in 2004, NEX now operates programs or advisory services in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the UAE, Uganda, the USA (California and New York), and Vietnam.

Follow NEX on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube

Story
Indonesia
Azura and the big blue ocean of marine electrification

New Energy Nexus CEO, Danny Kennedy, takes a hands-on look at Azura – a startup in Indonesia opening an ocean of opportunities for marine electrification.

I saw the future last July behind a Circle K near Denpasar in Indonesia. For those of you that have been to Bali any time this century you might know these countless convenience stores. These are fillup shops for the 4 million scooter and moped riders across the island. Not only can you get your expensive gas for your motorbike, but you can also buy all kinds of goodies inside. This includes some crazy coffee boba caramel combo drinks I have not had anywhere else. But I digress.

The future of electrification, behind a Circle K

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New Energy Nexus CEO Danny Kennedy at a SWAP station in Bali

The first thing that struck me was the Swap station sitting on the forecourt by the front door. It’s a simple container for batteries to power the growing number of electric scooters in Indonesia. Each Swap station has three bins, two of which have batteries in various states of charge, while the other one is empty. A rider comes in to Circle K to fill up. They take their battery out, put it in the empty bin to charge. This automagically unlocks one of the other two batteries that has 100% charge. They take this “full” battery and put it into their bike, and in less than a minute they’re off to the races!

There are now 400 of these Swap stations in Circle Ks on Bali and Java, and growing. As the electric advantages of motorbike riding become known this company is going to crush it! To reiterate those advantages: e-scooters are better, faster, and cheaper. That’s right they perform better, take off quicker, are clean, quiet and most important cost less to fill and maintain. The Swap story above saves not only time but serious money for the rider.

Enter Azura: the startup electrifying Bali’s fishing craft

So minds blown, my team and I met the company we had come to see inside the Circle K.  Nadea Nabilla and her cofounder,  are electrification entrepreneurs with Azura (and in fact Nadea, just presented her innovation at the One Young World Summit by the Audi Environmental Foundation. These entrepreneurs are taking the same competitive advantage of electric motors to fisherfolk, with product offerings that are better, faster and cheaper than the infernal combustion engines that these folk have used for decades.

The design of the fishing craft is ancient and common across many of the thousands of islands in this archipelago nation. The modern engine was introduced last century and adapted to this design with a long drive shaft to get a propeller into the water over the gunnel. This is the “long tail motor” of many fishing craft, river boats and the like across Asia and Africa. The engine is often a heavy and rusted block of bits that break down a lot. And this connects to an old gas tank that costs a lot to fill.

Not so the electric version!

In Azura’s solution they have taken an off-the-shelf Mitsubishi electric motor. It has similar torque and power specs as the horsepower the engine puts out. It’s small and lightweight. The battery pack required to charge it for 75 miles of boat business fits in a single Pelican case. They can carry this into the compound to charge off the solar panels or older batteries bundled there. No muss no fuss. And the performance is better, faster, and cheaper.

Azura’s secret sauce

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Azura’s battery pack case and a widget on the motor.

Azura’s secret sauce is a little widget that fits the electric motor to the propeller shaft. This may not be defensible but their true moat is the first mover advantage in a difficult but enormous market. I mean defensibility when I say moat but this is also to make a pun about Azura’s blue ocean opportunity. Replacing all the shitty engines on boats around Southeast Asia is a many hundred million addressable market and almost no-one is doing it! There is not a lot of blood in the water from cutthroat competition. It might actually be better if there was for Nadea and friends to have a bit of co-opetition to create supply chains and an e-boat ecosystem. For now they are the pioneers offering a better, faster and cheaper service, which should win.

Better and faster are obvious. Silence is golden to fisherfolk. And the process of fitting and fueling with solar is much easier and quicker in the daily routine for fisherfolk. Not to mention the take off speed an electric motor achieves compared to an old putt-putt two stroke! But cheaper it is not upfront. So when I say, these are cheaper it is a “total-cost of ownership” statement. Like many assets in the clean energy transition it comes down to OpEx versus CapEx. This is biz speak for Operating Expense versus Capital Expense.

A solution that pays back in 3 years (at least for now)

Upfront the electric bundle costs a lot – 10 times more than the old motor. As production scales and pieces of the kit get more standardized that cost will drop – like ICE cars and EVs. But for now, it is a lot. Yet over the life of the motor, which has fewer moving parts, needs no oil nor belts and thus little maintenance, it costs less to own and operate. And low to no fuel cost!

They “payback” in about three years. This means the savings make the upfront cost worth it in 36 months. So, what this bundle will need next is finance to speed up adoption. In many categories – like your cell phone – the way we pay for an expensive item is to put it on a monthly or “amortized” schedule. It is also how the car sold to the masses – a modern auto-loan pioneered by General Motors.

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Nadea Nabilla, Co-founder at Azura (right) with local fisherfolk in Bali.

I expect Nadea and her team will be experimenting soon with financing options. She already has a rental agreement for some boats. And as she scales from 12 systems sold so far to hundreds and thousands and then hundreds of thousands it’ll get easier. The asset class will become better understood. The “performance” of loans and underwriting considerations such as how likely a fisherperson is to default will become known. Competition in debt products will come into the market and more and more boats will go electric!

It was so exciting to see this postcard from the future. Like Chinese cities today where the buses make no noise and spit out no fumes, I know someday soon I’ll be on an island in Asia with no motor noise. May it come soon! Full speed to Azura and their competitors.

Shine on!

Danny Kennedy is CEO of New Energy Nexus

Bonus note: For those of you that think this is more about impact in the lives of the fisherfolk than a decarbonization strategy, think again. These small bite markets for petroleum products (scooters and fishing boats) are one of the last strongholds of growth for big oil. At the end of the day, the climate struggle is about putting fossils out of business. Do you know what the biggest force so far in barrels of oil per day consumption destruction has been in the energy transition? Tesla I hear you say. Perhaps BYD for buses? No. Rikshaws and tuktuks. 

See below for the latest data from BloombergNEF.

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News
California
California Energy Commission approves extension of CalTestBed

17 August 2022, Sacramento, USA – An additional US$11 million in EPIC funding was approved by the California Energy Commission to extend the term of the California Test Bed (CalTestBed) initiative into 2026, a highly successful public-private partnership led by New Energy Nexus, and implemented in partnership with the University of California Office of the President (UCOP) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab). 

CalTestBed is supported by the California Energy Commission (CEC) with Electric Program Investment Charge (EPIC) funds. The Initiative provides early to mid-stage clean energy innovators access to world-class testing at one of more than 70 participating facilities at 9 University of California (UC) campuses and LBL. Entrepreneurs gain the opportunity to gather valuable data about their prototypes, advancing the technology’s path toward commercialization.

Vouchers of up to US$300,000 have been awarded to 40 competitively selected companies in two cohorts, and a third application submission window is open until 19 August 2022. CEC’s extension of this program allows for the funding of the third and fourth cohorts, enabling an additional 40 to 50 companies to benefit from the program. The extension will also fund ancillary program activities such as a national symposia.

Companies participating in the program have been applauded for substantial successes. A conservative accounting of CalTestBed’s cohort one companies shows nearly US$300 million in follow-on funding, and the creation of nearly 250 new jobs. Such achievements are attributable to the excellence of the clean energy innovations, the grit and determination of the founders, and a robust pipeline of support from the ecosystem of accelerators and incubators, research facilities and strategic programs such as CalSEED, CalTestBed, BRIDGE and RAMP curated by the CEC with EPIC funds.

Molly O’Hagan, the CEC contracts and agreements manager for CalTestBed, presented the case for approving the CalTestBed extension. She highlighted the program benefits to California ratepayers which include accelerating commercialization for clean energy technologies, lowering technology costs, and supporting economic development. She also mentioned the Entrepreneur Directory, CalTestBed Facilities Directory, and national CalTestBed symposia as valuable resources produced from this effort.

Tenley Dalstrom, Director of the CalTestBed program, spoke in support of the extension stating that the implementation team has “expanded the number of lab facilities available from 28 at the program’s inception to 73 at present. The program is providing significant benefits for our voucher recipient companies, California ratepayers, and is contributing to the state’s goals of furthering a just transition to a clean energy economy.”

Randi Jenkins, speaking on behalf of UCOP and the participating UC campuses, stated that CalTestBed is “accelerating some of California’s most promising early-stage clean energy technologies on the pathway to successful commercialization” in addition to “optimizing the efficient use of sought-after equipment and specialized facilities at our campuses” and “providing opportunities to graduate students to gain practical testing experience and interface with flourishing entrepreneurs.”

This illustrates the “win-win” outcome of this public-private partnership: the largest public university system in the world advancing the goals of the leading state agency in climate change mitigation while promoting individual small businesses and simultaneously providing training and education to the future workforce.

Alecia Ward, a representative of Berkeley Lab, noted that the team that developed and implemented the CalTestBed Program received the 2021 Outstanding Partnership Award from the Far West Region of the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC). She concluded her remarks by saying “CalTestBed, and the CEC’s leadership in building out this clean energy ecosystem, advances federal clean energy goals and Berkeley Lab supports the full cost extension of the program.”

The CalTestBed Initiative has garnered both national and international attention for its effectiveness, structure, and intention of accelerating clean energy innovations to the marketplace while maximizing the environmental, economic, and social impacts for communities throughout the state.

Applications are currently open until 19 August for CalTestBed’s third cohort. Information and the application link can be found at www.calstestbed.com

Media contacts:

Tristan Tremschnig
Communications Director, New Energy Nexus (based in San Francisco, USA)
tristan.tremschnig@newenergynexus.com 

About New Energy Nexus

New Energy Nexus (NEX) is an international organization that strives towards a 100% clean energy economy for 100% of the population. It does this with a laser focus on diverse entrepreneurs, supporting them with accelerators, funds, skills, and networks they need to thrive. NEX has accelerated 1,400 startups, empowered over 9,500 entrepreneurs, and mobilized over US$3.7 billion in investment. Since its founding in California in 2004, NEX now operates programs or advisory services in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the UAE, Uganda, the USA (California and New York), and Vietnam.

Follow NEX on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube

Story
California
How this startup is decarbonizing water heating in California

zyd energy team pic 3

The Overlooked Emitter 

The residential water heater – often unsightly and awkwardly installed in garages and closets – is an essential home appliance that is often overlooked when it comes to energy efficiency upgrades. This is despite the fact that gas-powered water heaters are the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in California’s building sector. Reaching ambitious greenhouse gas reduction goals will be virtually impossible without reimagining the residential water heater — and CalSEED Concept Awardee ZYD Energy is doing just that.

ZYD Energy’s Technology

The first step in decarbonizing residential water heaters is to replace all gas water heaters currently in use with electric heat pumps. The second — and potentially far more complex — step is to integrate electric heat pumps with the electric grid to ensure electricity from renewable energy sources, e.g. solar and wind, is used to heat water.  This is where ZYD Energy’s innovative LOCUS control technology comes in. LOCUS stands for load optimization control using storage and will enable heat pump water heaters to achieve grid-interactive efficient operations, which reduce customers’ energy bills, maximize renewable energy utilization, and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. ZYD Energy seeks to advance water heater technology through a three prong strategy:

  • Integration: using controllable storage configurations to achieve large load flexibility for all heat pump water heater products and system designs, including those not feasible for conventional temperature controls.
  • Optimization: using sophisticated computer algorithms to determine operational schedules according to time-dependent electricity supply conditions, including electricity price, demand response signals, renewable energy availability, and electricity carbon intensity.
  • Connectivity: using IoT technologies to establish versatile data connection with users, building and grid management.

ZYD Energy’s Pathway to Success

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ZYD Energy was founded by Dr. Yanda Zhang after many years of working in energy efficiency and his desire to develop something that could rapidly reduce emissions and energy consumption in the building sector. In 2017, shortly after he conceived LOCUS, Dr. Zhang received a CalSEED Concept award from the California Energy Commission’s EPIC program which supports early-stage clean entrepreneurs with critical seed funding and support. With the CalSEED Concept award he was able to continue to develop LOCUS as well as bring on recent UC Davis graduate Sophia Racke as a Business Development Manager. With Sophia on board, they focused on not only technical development of their product but also understanding the needs of their audience so that they could create a strong value proposition. As Sophia sees it, “Our solution isn’t just optimizing the performance of the heat pump water heaters but also changing the customers perspective to embrace a new paradigm of water heating.”

A key component of the CalSEED program is participating in CleanTech Open (CTO), a national accelerator program aimed at providing early-stage companies with the training and resources they need to launch and grow successful cleantech businesses. Dr. Zhang learned from CTO how to truly understand potential customers, not just focus on the technology,  “CTO encouraged us to conduct a survey with homeowners to understand from their perspective – the why – why do they care? What do they think about water heaters? With that knowledge we were able to develop a product that was oriented around customer-based solutions.”

The HeaterHive by ZYD Energy

ZYD Energy’s main customers are single family homeowners, multifamily building property owners, and building mechanical system designers. For homeowners, “There’s a need for a solution that’s both effective at reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the water heating systems and can also make the transition simple and appealing. By providing customers with additional value, we will make it more exciting and easier for them to adopt new clean energy technologies.”

To address this, ZYD has created an appealing package for single family homes. They’ve combined the LOCUS control technology with a heat pump water heater as well as a unique exterior design that offers home organization and decoration features. “We’re branding the single family package as HeaterHive to provide customers with a refreshing home improvement product and not just another water heater that they’re going to forget about.”

For multifamily buildings, ZYD Energy addresses a different challenge faced by building designers – how to design heat pump based water heating systems to serve multiple dwelling units. This requires a new knowledge of how different equipment and systems can be connected and controlled, as well as take significant efforts and time for the building design and construction industry to familiarize themselves with heat pump water heater based systems in those multifamily buildings. ZYD Energy provides a solution to simplify system design and installation. “The intention is that LOCUS control can function as a central interconnection of the different equipment in the water heating system so building and designing those complicated water heating systems can be simplified by connecting heating and storage equipment through the LOCUS control.”

ZYD Energy’s Next Step

The ZYD Energy team is well on their way to demonstrate the solution, having just received another EPIC Award – Advancing Next-Generation Heating, Cooling and Water Heating Systems – where they will be piloting their LOCUS systems in three low-income multifamily buildings in Northern California. The aim of these projects is to demonstrate the load flexibility for three different types of central heat pump water heating systems in multifamily buildings using ZYD Energy’s LOCUS technology with social and environmental benefits of lowering operating costs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, improving electricity reliability, and reducing planning uncertainty.

Moving Forward

Dr. Zhang is hopeful that this opportunity will open doors for ZYD Energy to further collaborate with building design firms, expanding their business development opportunities. “I think our success is kind of a testament to California’s drive to achieve a clean energy transition. With support from California research funding like CalSEED or EPIC we have been able to grow our business. It’s also California’s decarbonisation goals that will continue to help support us as more and more areas have to replace their gas appliances with electric ones.”

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Story
China
China’s new energy efficiency regulations will be a boost for startups

New regulations covering China’s building sector could open up opportunities for more energy efficiency innovations. The market is ripe for startups to take advantage and accelerate the country’s clean energy transition, writes Yi Luo, a Climate Fintech Program Associate at New Energy Nexus China.

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Skyline in Pudong Shanghai

China’s new General Code for Building Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Utilization (建筑节能与可再生能源利用通用规范) was formally implemented in April 2022, representing a big shift in the building and construction sector. It requires that all new, expanded and reconstructed buildings, as well as energy-saving renovations of existing buildings, be designed for energy efficiency. Data specifying the building’s energy consumption and carbon emission are also required.

Currently, there are no specific requirements for energy efficiency in the construction of new buildings, and instead only passive saving strategies like natural lighting and heat insulation are prioritized. Currently only energy efficiency disclosure is compulsory in China, but the industry is expected to evolve in the coming years with the expansion of the country’s energy efficiency regulations.

The new regulations introduced in April 2022 will impact the construction industry in three main ways.

Firstly, it covers the whole process of energy saving and renewable energy systems in newly constructed, existing, and reconstructing buildings. Conventional energy saving measures focus only on either material or construction process, but post-construction management will now receive more attention (source).

Secondly, the regulation enforces disclosure of energy consumption and carbon emissions. The Code specifies a comprehensive measurement and supervision standard, especially for buildings over 20,000m2.

Thirdly, there are more requirements for energy saving efficiency, compared to the 2016 energy efficiency code. The average energy saving efficiency in cold regions of the country will exceed 75%, 65% for other areas and 72% for public infrastructure (source, source).

Based on the “double-carbon” vision proposed by President Xi Jinping and the “Fourteenth Five-year Plan”, we estimate that the disclosure requirement is just a start, and compulsory application of energy saving strategies could come out within the next three years. In that time, we expect the industry to really take off.

How will China’s energy efficiency sector grow?

The value of the construction energy saving industry is estimated to reach around CNY 700 billion (USD 104 billion) in 2022 and the operation stage energy saving would be up to CNY 600 billion yuan (USD 89 billion) (source) (source).

Current energy saving solutions mainly cover the use of new energy, energy storage and batteries, and integrated central systems. As markets and technologies mature, the construction energy saving industry will evolve in some interesting ways.

yan'an east road interchange, shanghai, china (unsplash)

Yan’an East Road Interchange, Shanghai, China (source)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are several ways entrepreneurs can take advantage:

1. Cooperate with residential telecommunication companies

Giants in China like Meidi, Huawei, and Xiaomi are all quite proactive in IoT and intelligent home systems. Start-ups with technologies in this area could cooperate with these companies to offer a bundle service. The energy saving solution system could merge as a core part of the intelligent home system. In addition to higher efficiency, another financial benefit are savings on reconstruction and installation costs.

Home telecommunication companies can also help startups access the market. These giants have gathered sound reputation, so cooperation with them also provides a quality endorsement for start-ups.

2. Cooperate with property management companies

Property companies like Wanda also proposed the idea of “AI + intelligent buildings or neighborhoods” in 2021(source). Supporting a property management company which controls a large neighborhood could create more synergy and efficiency – a win-win deal for each side of the business.

3. GIS and regional geographic measurement projects

An integrated platform could also link to other research and measurement activities. It could further integrate with energy networks based on blockchains and other technology, to help regulate and control the energy industry on a regional or national level.

4. Adopt or cooperate with clean energy, energy storage, and virtual power plants

As these are all ways to save energy, that could work together to construct an energy-saving ecosystem (source).

Yi Luo is a Climate Fintech Program Associate at New Energy Nexus China

[1] According to ‘China Construction Energy Consumption and Carbon Emission Report (2021)’ (《中国建筑能耗与碳排放报告(2021)》), in 2019, the construction operation stage consumed 1.03 billion tce (21.2% of total national energy consumption) and emitted 2.13 billion ton of carbon dioxide (21.6% of total national carbon emission). It’s estimated that the energy consumption and carbon emission would reach 1.192 billion ton of coal equivalent (tce) and 2.368 billion ton. The industry could create a potential economic value of 480~600 billion yuan (taking the energy saving efficiency as 25% and the coal price of 1600~2000 yuan per ton).

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Indonesia
4 insights from the biggest clean energy startup festival in Indonesia

New Energy Nexus held the biggest clean energy startup festival in Indonesia in June 2022, with thousands of participants from the renewable energy and climate innovation sector.

The festival was all about connecting key players and identifying a pipeline of innovators that will power the energy transition in the world’s 4th most popular country, through:

  • Hackathons – which serves as a platform for innovators to develop and launch scalable innovations in the clean energy sector;
  • Exhibitions – where we welcomed 23 startups from various sectors to showcase their latest innovations;
  • Investment Speed ​​Dating events – where 30 startups presented their best pitch to the 15 potential investors, and;
  • Workshops – where we discussed the energy transition, green jobs, and women entrepreneurs in the clean energy sector.
The [RE]Spark Renewable Energy Festival is a key part of our effort to build a clean energy startup ecosystem in Indonesia. Here are four major insights and tips from key players in the clean energy innovation space.

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1.Reach out to entrepreneurs from all parts of Indonesia, not just the big cities 

“[RE]Spark is a rare opportunity since such events are usually held exclusively in more developed cities. With NEX reaching out to the eastern part of Indonesia, Kuantech had the opportunity to broaden its network, learn, and eventually solve the problem its community faced,” said Kuantech, which won second place in the {RE]Spark Climate Hackathon

Kuantech is a startup from East Nusa Tenggara, which has developed a technology it calls Hybrid Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) and Desalination that produces clean water from both desalination and condensation processes. Applications like this are fundamental in providing clean energy access to Indonesia’s coastline and small island communities.

2. Building a startup is a marathon of sprints. Be kind to yourself.

“Manage your time and energy, and pace yourself. Building a startup is a marathon of sprints. All of us need to find the balance between work and things that matter to us, like family and personal health. It will also boost energy if you can connect to the mission and why you’re doing what you are doing. It gives you the energy to keep going,”  said Danny Kennedy, the CEO of New Energy Nexus.

“It’s no cliche, but ‘cash is king’, which means that you need to make sure that you get paid more than the cost of running your business for you to survive. Last but not least, enjoy the ride. Enjoy the team, your effort to solve climate issues, and the value of what you’ve contributed to Indonesia. Always remember that clean energy is better, cheaper, and faster than the alternatives.”

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Danny Kennedy, CEO of New Energy Nexus sharing his insights at the (re)spark festival.

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Sandra Winarsa, Program Development Manager for Green Energy at Hivos, joined the [RE]Spark to share her point of view on why gender equality is essential in the energy transition.

3. Indonesia’s clean energy transition must include women

“Women have a huge role in the energy transition, because women are the main actors and users of energy, from running household chores to businesses. This is why including women in decision-making and taking them into account in the energy transition process is crucial, so the society won’t miss any opportunities that might be an oversight if the decision-makers/panels are not inclusive or do not take into account gender balance.

“New Energy Nexus serves as a platform for young people who dare to innovate in the field of renewable industry to grow and thrive. It is a relief that the organization takes gender lens seriously to ensure that the energy transition is equal and inclusive for all.”

4. Indonesia’s government recognizes clean energy startups need stronger financial support

The government is committing to help startups get the financial modality they need.

“Startups play a massive role in the future of energy transition because the demand for energy transition is relatively high. Indonesia’s government also commits to facilitating startups with our regulations and forming taskforce/institutions to help startups have a better financial framework. The government is now preparing Green Financing, where it is aimed to support the capital and give incentive to renewable energy startups need to run their business,” said Dr. Ir. Arifin Rudiyanto, the Deputy Minister for Maritime and Natural Resources at the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency.

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Dr. Ir. Arifin Rudiyanto, the Deputy Minister for Maritime and Natural Resources at the Ministry of National Development Planning/National Development Planning Agency.

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China
15 startups helping China achieve its climate goals in our EXCEL Accelerator cohort

EXCEL Accelerator is a growth-stage accelerator focused on the clean energy transition and climate change mitigation in China. Leveraging our connections in local government, academia and industry, EXCEL Accelerator provides growth-stage startups with technology/product expertise, pilot opportunities, and market expansion.

This year in Cohort 3, we are proud to be supporting 15 startups offering innovative climate solutions across various fields including clean tech, energy internet and carbon emission reduction. They also share the same vision – to contribute to China’s ‘’Dual Carbon’’ goal (to reach peak carbon use by 2030 and become carbon neutral by 2060).

Here are the finalists of 2022 EXCEL Accelerator Cohort 3:

Energy Internet Sector

TerraQuanta (大地量子)

TerraQuanta is a technology-driven company, it has established efficient data acquisition channels with global mainstream satellite data providers, integrating massive multi-source satellite data through a team of experienced remote sensing scientists, AI algorithm team and engineering team. TerraQuanta combines data fusion and algorithm development together to bring 600,000 meters’ data within reach and creates a “Data Encyclopedia of the Earth”.

At present, TerraQuanta has supported the application of more than 30 scenarios in the fields of agriculture, forest carbon-sink, agricultural insurance, infrastructure, environmental protection, and inclusive finance, scenarios include ground cover monitoring, crop yield estimation, water resources and water environment monitoring, forest resources dynamic monitoring, urban subsidence monitoring, etc.

BigData FinTech (大数金科)

BigData FinTech specializes in carbon emission management calculation, accounting and inventory system tools and carbon planning service provider. BigData FinTech was founded in 2016, the company uses industrial internet technology and cloud services to optimize the practical needs of accounting, inventory, internal control, collection, supervision and optimization of carbon emissions (carbon assets) for manufacturing enterprises such as steel, chemical, non-ferrous and construction industries.

The company can provide enterprise carbon data management, product carbon footprint calculation and CEPP certification for the traditional process manufacturing industry represented by metallurgy, building materials and chemical industry and their logistics supply chain.

Since BigData FinTech’s establishment, the team has been aiming at serving entities and keeping up with the industry, and striving to help China’s manufacturing industry achieve the ultimate goal of carbon neutrality.

Dayu

Dayu

DAYU (大禹智芯)

DAYU is the first technology startup in China focusing on DPU since it was registered and founded. It is currently the leading company in the DPU field in China and is committed to building advanced DPU products with versatility through self-developed software, hardware, and chips.

Through existing and self-developed advanced chips, self-developed high-performance IaaS components and protocol-specific acceleration capabilities, DAYU provides a complete set of hardware and software products and services around DPUs, including chips, hardware products, system software, and application integration, and is committed to building a new generation of cloud computing engines to help users build leading IT infrastructures and accelerate the pace of enterprise digital transformation.

The company’s vision is to “unleash the application potential of high-speed networks in the way of DAYU, allowing enterprises to enjoy technology dividends selectively and helping them to build leading IT infrastructures well and fast”.

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PH Edge Intelligence

PH Edge Intelligence (朋禾智能)

PH Edge Intelligence’s team has more than ten years of experience in online monitoring and fault diagnosis of power equipment, industrial IoT platform design, edge computing system architecture, and machine learning applications, and is experienced in sensors, data acquisition, industrial data reliability, and industrial artificial intelligence. As the earliest pioneer in industrial intelligence and edge computing applications in China, PH Edge Intelligence is now dedicated to promoting the application of industrial edge computing, IoT and artificial intelligence technologies in the power industry. The core team members include doctors and masters who graduated from Fudan University, Shanghai Jiao tong University, Tongji University and Xi’an Jiao tong University, as well as practitioners from National Instruments, General Electric, CyberInsight and other related fields within the industry. As a high-tech leading company in assisting the digital transformation of power grids, PH Edge Intelligence is a high-tech enterprise in Shanghai, a member of the Shanghai Industrial Internet Association, a member of the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Industry Association, an Enabler of Microsoft AI and IoT Lab, and has applied a number of patents and software copyrights on the project. PH Edge Intelligence has also established cooperation with Schneider and Shanghai Electric and other companies within the power industry to jointly build an intelligent and digital power grid. The team’s vision is to become an industry-leading industrial intelligence and digitalization comprehensive solution service provider.

Deep Sensing Technology (清蓉深瞳)

Deep Sensing Technology was established in 2021. It is a scientific and technological innovation enterprise relying on the transformation of scientific and technological achievements of Tsinghua University and Sichuan Energy Internet Research Institute Tsinghua University. Deep Sensing Technology focuses on the frontier of energy Internet and the new power system and has developed a number of fundamental technologies for energy sensing and energy collecting with core independent intellectual property rights, mainly providing key sensing components, intelligent diagnostic algorithms and overall solutions for energy system deep situational awareness, energy equipment intelligence and carbon tracking. The 500kV-level conformal integrated multi-parameter intelligent power fitting is successfully applied to the real-time assessment of natural disasters, prediction, fault and risk warning of power line status, insulation characteristics, of transmission lines and corridors off, the invention won the Gold Award of the 2021 Geneva Invention Award. The first digital system embedded in circuit breaker equipment was successfully developed, realizing highly reliable non-intrusive measurement of mechanical parameters, operation process and temperature load of circuit breaker, and its online diagnosis and unattended through knowledge mapping and artificial intelligence algorithm.

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Syitsing Energy Technology

Syitsing Energy Technology (西清能源)

Syitsing Energy Technology, founded in 2018, is a high-tech enterprise focusing on technology R&D in the field of energy digitization. The company’s goal is to help the digital transformation of the power industry through advanced technology and to promote the transformation of the energy and power industry with intelligent applications.

All of Syitsing Energy’s core team members graduated from Tsinghua University and other well-known universities, with rich industry experience and technology development capabilities. Syitsing Energy has passed the ISO management system certification and holds a number of invention patents with several technologies that are advanced in China.

The company has rich implementation experience and several finished projects in the fields of power system design and planning, energy storage active safety and digital twin technology application, etc. Currently, the company’s major products and solutions include:

  • Active safety management and intelligent operation and maintenance system of energy storage power station and new EMS system
  • Integrated source-grid-load-storage energy management platform
  • Power system digital twin and active equipment operation and maintenance

MetaStar (元能星泰)

MetaStar is a cutting-edge technology enterprise jointly invested by Beijing Zhongguancun Development Frontier Enterprise Investment Fund, Taiyou Fund and Shuimu Tsinghua Alumni Capital. Relying on the R&D team from top universities such as Tsinghua, South China University of Technology and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the company is deeply engaged in vertical segments such as new energy, power grid, power plant, water conservancy and hydropower, oil, natural gas, chemical and coal, etc. MetaStar has independent core technologies and built the Meta-Universe digital twin PAAS toolchain and digital twin intelligent production operation platform series products to help enterprises implement digital transformation.

macro ai

Macro AI

Macro AI Technology (暂元智数)

Macro AI Technology Co., Ltd. is an artificial intelligence high-tech company providing 3D vision solutions for high-precision industrial manufacturing, with an AI algorithm team led by PhDs from European and American top universities. Macro AI Technology upholds the mission of “empowering intelligent manufacturing with cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology” and practices the business philosophy of “technology for good to achieve self-realization”, and has solved the problems of ultra-complex machine vision recognition, inspection, positioning and measurement in the production process for many precision manufacturing enterprises. With the service attitude of “doing technology rigorously and winning the market with integrity”, Macro AI Technology has rapidly accumulated a good reputation in the industry and gained strong support from the government. In the future, Macro AI Technology will pay more attention to the construction of ecological partner system, and adhere to the “sharing is winning” cooperation concept, through strong alliance, to bring more industrial manufacturing enterprise customers with better, more economical, more intelligent Smart Factory solutions, to help industrial enterprises to achieve digital, intelligent transformation and development.

Environmental Protection Sector
BlueFuture

Blue Future

Blue Future (湛蓝未来)

Blue Future was founded in 2014 and has been focusing on the R&D and industrialization of in-situ sludge reduction technology. The founder is a talent of the “Golden Panda” program from Chengdu Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, graduated from the aerobic granular sludge team of Nanyang Technological University in Singapore and published several papers in international journals. Blue Future’s environmental philosophy is “treating waste with waste”, and it has technologies such as iron sludge, bio-iron and iron batteries. Its honours include the second prize in the Chengdu-Shenzhen Twin Cities Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition, the third prize in the Environmental Protection Innovation Competition of the Sichuan Department of Environmental Protection, the finalist enterprise of CCTV Chuang Ye Ying Xiong Hui, and the bronze medal in the Beijing Enterprises Water Group Cup 2020 among more than 570 projects recognized by experts, including academician Jun Ma. The corporate governance is well-organized, Blue Future is invested by CDHTIWENTURE Capital, Chengdu Industry Investment, Sichuan State-owned Assets Operation and Investment Administration and other provincial, municipal and district level state-owned capitals.

senle

Senle Environment Technology

Senle Environment Technology (森乐环保)

Senle Environment Technology is a joint-stock enterprise launched by Chengdu Senle Group in 2018 to meet the needs of the national environmental protection industry, with a registered capital of 20 million yuan and fixed assets of 86 million yuan. Senle Environment is committed to the research and development and engineering transformation of gas preparation, separation, refinement, purification, drying, desulfurization, denitrification, hydrogen production, decarbonization, dust removal, ultra-low emission technologies in oil and gas, iron and steel coking, coal chemical, fine chemical, industrial gas, biochemical, fuel ethanol, glass, cement, thermal power, waste power generation, non-electricity industries: Senle Environment is proficient in gas purification and comprehensive utilization of coke oven gas, pressure swing adsorption, temperature swing adsorption, high-purity hydrogen production, SCR/SNCR denitration, ultra-high-porosity furnace denitrification, dry process, semi-dry desulfurization, flue gas removal and recovery of SO2, annealing furnace hydrogen recovery, nitrogen and hydrogen gas mixing, and other technologies. And Senle Environment has the production and manufacturing capacity of important components (adsorbent, desulfurizer, catalyst, program-controlled valve) and complete sets of skids.

By 2022, Senle Group has 1 EPC company, 2 manufacturing companies, 1 technology R&D company and 1 investment company. There are 3 regional operation centers and 12 offices in China generating 100-200 million yuan output value. Senle Group has established long-term cooperation with reputable universities such as Nanjing Tech University’s Adsorbent Research Institute, Fudan University’s Adsorbent Research Center, Sichuan University and Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences, becoming a comprehensive enterprise integrating technology research and development, engineering consulting and design, technical services, EPC, equipment manufacturing, plant operation and maintenance, special materials supply, investment and financing operation and other sectors.

Over the past twenty years, Senle Group has designed and built nearly one thousand large industrial plants for oil and gas, iron and steel coking, fine chemical, and non-electric industries.

Energy Finance Sector
knowcarbon

Knowcarbon

KnowCarbon

Knowcarbon is a technology company focusing on carbon neutralization. It is committed to providing one-stop carbon services based on carbon accounting and blockchain for carbon account, carbon audit and carbon asset management. Knowcarbon was incubated in Tsinghua University and gathered team members from Tsinghua University, Cambridge University, Geneva University and other well-known universities at home and abroad, with rich academic resources. ​

Knowcarbon puts forward two products, carbon pet and enterprise carbon treasure: “carbon pet” aims to reduce emissions through the development of carbon accounts, develops carbon accounts in the form of pet cultivation, enables individual users to cultivate “carbon pet”, and obtains carbon points for the gift of a sustainable mall, forming a closed-loop product to help individuals reduce carbon emissions; Qitanbao uses blockchain technology to make its own carbon emission, carbon emission reduction, supervision, audit and other processes open and transparent, and relevant records can be traced and verified at any time, so as to reduce the cost of human carbon audit and ensure the transparency of carbon audit.

eahon

Eahon Technology

Eahon Technology (益泓科技)

Eahon Technology (Shanghai) Co. was founded on April 20, 2021, in Shanghai. Eahon Technology is a high-tech company that provides energy management and carbon asset management services and is committed to helping companies achieve net zero emissions. Eahon Technology can provide a carbon asset digital monitoring system and management platform, energy saving and emission reduction in the production process and daily operation, new energy infrastructure planning, integrated power management, and carbon asset management consulting services. Eahon Technology’s in-depth research in carbon asset management technology has made major progress in IoT sensors, Network Communications, Big Data and software development. Eahon Technology can provide services such as equipment operational status monitoring, environmental monitoring, asset integrity management consulting, integrated operation management platform development (including energy, asset, security, etc.), and digital and intelligent transformation.

New Energy Fuel Sector
tooriwin

Wuhan Troowin

Wuhan Troowin Power System Technology (众宇动力)

Established in 2011, Wuhan Troowin Power System Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as Troowin) engages in the research and manufacturing of core parts, stacks and systems of fuel cells. As an expert in the fuel cell sector, Troowin has comprehensively mastered the core technologies of hydrogen fuel cells. The ability of design and development of fuel cell stacks allows Troowin to cooperate with manufacturers of end products according to the nature of applications in the market to sell and provide technical services for stacks and systems.

Since its establishment, Troowin has formed a R&D team of energy + gas + fuel cell led by experts under Hubei’s 100 Talent Plan, and has cooperated with scientific research institutions, universities, enterprises, etc. In addition, Troowin has been awarded such honorary titles as national high-tech enterprise,enterprise technology center and hydrogen energy talent training base of Hubei Province. Up to now, Troowin has applied for more than 200 patents and been granted over 100 patents (including 5 for invention in the USA, Japan and the EU), nearly 20 of which are internationally leading core technologies or proprietary technologies.

Troowin has developed three major products, namely fuel cell stacks and their core parts, fuel cell systems and fuel cell solutions, and can provide products and industrial solutions for automobiles, ships, distributed power generation and power supply. Troowin has established cooperation relationships with CMCC,SG,CGN,CSIC, DFM , Geely, Skywell, Hubei Wanshan and other companies to continuously promote the industrial and commercial operation of fuel cells.

sinwit

Sinwt Science & Tech

Sinwt Science & Technology (三听科技)

Sinwt Science&Technology is committed to providing customers with products and solutions for intelligent recognition, location and tracking of sound events using acoustic emission sensor (AE Sensor) arrays + artificial intelligence technology. The major products are divided into two major categories: Ti-Ting series and Zhi-Yun-Ting series. The Ti-Ting series is mainly used in scenarios such as Power Bureau monitoring, sensitive area monitoring and “black flying” drone, while the SmartCloud series is a microphone array-based acoustic signal acquisition and processing system for multiple scenarios and types of applications.

Sinwt Science&Technology has been awarded as National High-tech Enterprise, Zhongguancun High-tech Enterprise, Ministry of Science and Technology Small and Medium-sized Enterprises and Beijing Economic‑Technological Development Area Rising Star Enterprise, and has been awarded as Beijing Golden Bridge Project A type support project and Beijing Excellent Young Engineer Innovation Studio A type support project, etc. Sinwt has always insisted on independent research and development and has dozens of invention patents, utility model patents and software copyright, and the technical innovation ability is steadily improving along with the R&D.

Innovation leads to development, and science and technology achieve dreams. Sinwt Science&Technology, the sound knows it all.

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Australia
Australian climate startups to gain global exposure with EnergyLab and New Energy Nexus partnership
EnergyLab's Megan Fisher (second from right) and NEX's Danny Kennedy (centre) with the team from Infravision. Image: EnergyLab

EnergyLab’s Megan Fisher (second from right) and NEX’s Danny Kennedy (centre) with the team from Infravision. Image: EnergyLab

Melbourne, 14 June 2022 – The Australian climate startup ecosystem is receiving a boost following the announcement today of a new international partnership between EnergyLab, which is Australia and New Zealand’s largest climate tech startup accelerator, and New Energy Nexus (NEX), the world’s leading clean energy accelerator.

The partnership will connect Australian startups to customers, capital, and resources in overseas markets that are critical for climate action, such as the USA, Southeast Asia, and India. It will also provide a pathway for overseas innovators to enter Australia, increasing the synergy of ideas and bringing more talent as Australia’s clean energy transition accelerates.

Megan Fisher, CEO at EnergyLab, said: “We are so excited to announce our partnership with New Energy Nexus. This collaboration will help us to create a systematic approach to supporting Australian entrepreneurs who want to explore and ultimately expand their startups internationally.

“We are also beyond proud to share with the global community the amazing startups that have played a role in building one of the most highly penetrated residential solar markets in the world.”

Danny Kennedy, CEO at New Energy Nexus, said: “We can’t wait to watch the magic happen as all these entrepreneurs are set loose on the US, Southeast Asian and Indian markets. The levels of experience and creativity evident in Australian offerings can help these regions to accelerate the mass adoption of clean distributed energy, of which Australia is an under-recognised leader.

“Politicians talked a lot about Australia being a clean energy superpower. These startups are doing it and New Energy Nexus is going to help EnergyLab take them to the world.”

Australia is the third biggest exporter of fossil fuels, but is also a clean energy innovation hub and a critical node in the global energy transition. It has the highest penetration of rooftop solar in “developed world” cities, has pioneering big batteries and renewable energy zones; a digitised electricity network, and a competitive electricity market. The products and services coming up in the Australian market will also have a wide range of applications overseas, from the refurbishment of America’s energy infrastructure, to energy end-use in emerging economies.

Partnering with NEX, which operates across 11 countries, will give startups in EnergyLabs’ portfolio a global reach unparalleled in Australia and the Pacific.

Over the last 12 months, EnergyLab and NEX have piloted the concept with Infravision, a startup that helps electric utilities accelerate power grid modernisation with drone enabled power line upgrades. Infravision had their eyes on the US market and were introduced to NEX while completing an EnergyLab startup program in 2021. NEX has since facilitated connections for Infravision to major investors and partners to support their entry into the North American transmission and distribution upgrade market.

Chris Cox, Co-Founder and Director of Infravision, said: “We have benefited greatly from New Energy Nexus’ support, landing on an approved vendor list for a major North American utility and securing financial backing to help us enter the international market all based on our track record of success in Australia.”

About EnergyLab:
EnergyLab is Australia and New Zealand’s largest climate tech startup accelerator and innovation network dedicated to reaching net zero emissions. With over 200 alumni supported through its programs, EnergyLab connects talented founders to the mentors, advisors, partners, peers and investors they need to succeed. EnergyLab programs include the Women in Climate and Energy Fellowship building the next generation of women founders; the Climate Solutions Accelerator; the Scale Up Program for later stage clean energy startups and a climate focused angel investor network.

Notes to editor:

Please find a link to photos and a link to video announcement

Media contacts:

Megan Fisher
CEO, EnergyLab
megan@energylab.org.au

Tristan Tremschnig
Communications Director, New Energy Nexus (based in San Francisco, USA)
tristan.tremschnig@newenergynexus.com 

About New Energy Nexus

New Energy Nexus (NEX) is an international organization that strives towards a 100% clean energy economy for 100% of the population. It does this with a laser focus on diverse entrepreneurs, supporting them with accelerators, funds, skills, and networks they need to thrive. NEX has accelerated 1,400 startups, empowered over 9,500 entrepreneurs, and mobilized over US$3.7 billion in investment. Since its founding in California in 2004, NEX now operates programs or advisory services in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the UAE, Uganda, the USA (California and New York), and Vietnam.

Follow NEX on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube

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Thailand
True Digital Park partners with New Energy Nexus Thailand to launch ‘Decarbonize Thailand Startup Sandbox’

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Bangkok, 14 June 2022 – True Digital Park in partnership with New Energy Nexus (Thailand) announces the launch of a program to support decarbonization according to the National Energy Plan 2022 called ‘Decarbonize Thailand Startup Sandbox’ (DTS). This program facilitates five industry leading corporations to  engage with climate tech startups in a 3-month Sandbox pilot project. The program will help climate tech startups and corporate partners to accelerate their collaboration and knowledge exchange, while also supporting the national goal of reaching Net Zero emissions and accelerating a decarbonized economy.

Dr. Tarit Nimmanwudipong, General Manager of True Digital Park (TDPK) says that TDPK, the biggest tech and startup hub in ASEAN, has partnered with New Energy Nexus (Thailand) to help local and international startups strengthen decarbonization businesses. From this collaboration comes the ‘Decarbonize Thailand Startup Sandbox’ – a space giving the opportunity for startups to connect and collaborate with experts from different industries. They can meet with mentors to adjust and develop specific solutions for targeted high-emitting industries, as well as learn from  experts and expand their network.

The project is supported by B.Grimm Power, C.P. Group, IRPC, PTT and True Corporation. Interested startups can apply.

“Following PM Prayut Chan-o-cha’s announcement that Thailand will achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and Net Zero by 2065 after joining COP26, we have seen several organizations declaring similar goals in reducing emissions. At the same time, we feel there is a lack of activities in the business sector to work together and support investment in innovation to build technology, people and startups. It is crucial that we create a collaborative platform to connect stakeholders within the industry and startup entrepreneurs with relevant technology in reducing carbon emission together.”

“The Decarbonize Thailand Startup Sandbox is set to bring about a unique opportunity for both local and international startups in order for them to expand business opportunities and increase sustainability for high-emitting industries in Thailand. They will be supported by industrial experts and mentors from the New Energy Nexus Ecosystem who will be sharing their knowledge and experience. The teams selected from the Startup Selection Event will be partnered with Thailand’s leading organizations and work closely together in the Startup Sandbox for 3 months. Corporates will have the opportunity to engage and support startups relevant to the challenges they are facing, while startups will be able to gain insights into the Thai market, test their business feasibility in the Thai context, backed by a corporate. ”Those interested can join as a team, whether from companies, startups or as individuals. The requirement would be to support the private sector in mitigating industrial carbon to achieve Net Zero in Thailand, together with the selected corporates and readiness to explore the Thai market” said Dr.Tarit

Mr. Stanley Ng, Program Director at New Energy Nexus (Thailand) stated:“New Energy Nexus’ mission is to support innovations in climate and energy. Since 2004 we have impacted thousands of entrepreneurs and leveraged over 1.5B USD in investment into these startups. Decarbonization is a huge economic opportunity for both climate startups and industry leaders. With the Decarbonize Thailand Sandbox, we want to support these leaders to realize their decarbonization goals while building a healthy ecosystem of climate startups in Thailand.”

The Decarbonize Thailand Startup Sandbox program will proceed as follows:

1. Startup Selection & Pitch Event: On July 16-17, 2022, Thai and international startups are welcomed to engage industry experts and present their technology solutions for a chance to match with partner organizations and join the DTS Startup Sandbox in the next phase.

2. Startup Sandbox Phase: From August 1 – October 31, 2022, the Startup Sandbox phase will be the time where paired startup-corporate teams work on developing their proof of concept of their solution in decarbonizing the business and industrial sector together. During these 3 months, startups will receive support  in the form of  resources to work such as masterclass workshops, consultations with corporate mentors and experts in an optional provided workspace.

3. DTS Symposium: This will take place in November 2022. The symposium will feature conferences and activities to build collaboration between startups, public and  private sectors, leading organizations from different industries, researchers, economists and individuals within the climate and innovation field. The aim is to discuss the challenges, opportunities and future of Thailand in the face of climate change and the transition to a low carbon economy.

Mr. Ng concluded that in addition to providing an opportunity to match with the country’s leading corporations to expand their business opportunities, startups that participate in the Decarbonize Thailand Startup Sandbox will also receive several other benefits such as workshops and access to international experts, as well as receiving insights from corporate mentors who will assist startups to customize  solutions for potential proof of concepts. Furthermore, New Energy Nexus has a network of mentors who will provide consultation in developing successful projects in clean energy and decarbonization. They will support Thai startups to gain access to investment opportunities, and advise on growth and expansion.

Media contacts:

Tristan Tremschnig
Communications Director, New Energy Nexus (based in San Francisco, USA)
tristan.tremschnig@newenergynexus.com 

About New Energy Nexus

New Energy Nexus (NEX) is an international organization that strives towards a 100% clean energy economy for 100% of the population. It does this with a laser focus on diverse entrepreneurs, supporting them with accelerators, funds, skills, and networks they need to thrive. NEX has accelerated 1,400 startups, empowered over 9,500 entrepreneurs, and mobilized over US$3.7 billion in investment. Since its founding in California in 2004, NEX now operates programs or advisory services in Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, the UAE, Uganda, the USA (California and New York), and Vietnam.

Follow NEX on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and YouTube