Uncover the success stories of XeroHome and Origin Materials in the 2023 Innovation Awards. From AI-driven home recommendations to revolutionary wood-waste chemicals, witness the future of sustainability and technology unfold.

Congratulations to Award Winners XeroHome and Origin Materials!

Mudit Saxena and his team received the 2023 Sustainability Innovation Award from the Sacramento Business Journal on Nov. 2. Their innovation XeroHome uses AI to make custom recommendations for individual homes using public data and puts it in an accessible form that homeowners can easily access. This eliminates the need for house-by-house energy audits and adds information on incentives and financing available. You can learn more about XeroHome at our upcoming Spotlight Pitch Night on November 16 at the Carlsen Center. They will be making a 10 minute pitch and answering questions. Sign up to come this event if you haven’t already done so.

At the same event, long-time regional clean tech community member Origin Materials received the Innovation Longevity Award. Origin had its start back in 2002 as Micromidas and renamed itself Origin Materials in 2008. Now they have opened a $130 million production facility in Ontario, Canada, and are preparing to construct a $1.6 billion plant in Louisiana soon. Origin makes industrial chemicals from wood waste that replace those from petroleum. They have a number of big-name backers including PepsiCo, Nestle, Danone, and Mitsubishi Group, with more to be added. It has been quite a journey for the team, and demonstrated their persistence and grit—contributing to their award-winning longevity.
This year there were a much larger number of awards handed out for innovation from many sectors—16 in all. It was a very inspiring event. You can read about all the Innovation Awards in the Nov. 3-9 edition of Sacramento Inno, a free publication of the Sacramento Business Journal. Take a special look at customer- and environment-friendly Quick Quack Car Wash, and Oobli drinks sweetened with a protein not a carbohydrate.

CleanStart’s recent discussion about the CalTestBed Opportunity offers an exciting opportunity for clean energy entrepreneurs and innovators. In this blog post, we’ll delve into the key points covered during the discussion and why it matters.

CalTestBed: Accelerating Clean Energy Innovation

Apply for CalTestBed Here

The discussion, hosted by Thomas Hall, the Executive Director of CleanStart, featured Rachel Yu, Senior Program Manager at CalTestBed. The primary focus was on CalTestBed, a voucher and commercialization program designed to support clean energy entrepreneurs in California.

Key Takeaways:

1. Introduction to CalTestBed: CalTestBed is a vital part of the California Clean Energy Fund (CalCEF) ecosystem. It provides financial support, specifically testing vouchers worth up to $300,000, to companies and individuals looking to validate their clean energy technologies.

2. Program Eligibility: To be eligible for CalTestBed, applicants must align with the program’s goals of benefiting California ratepayers. Prototypes should fall within Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 5 to 7, and they should have a hardware component.

3. Supported Technology Types: CalTestBed supports a wide range of clean energy technologies, including building technologies, energy efficiency, energy storage, grid technologies, industry and agriculture, IoT, material-based renewables, transportation, and water technologies.

4. Application Process: The application window for CalTestBed opens on October 27th and closes on November 22nd. Applicants go through a screening process for eligibility and are then scored by technical reviewers based on innovation, feasibility, scalability, and market potential.

5. Networking and Support: Participants in the program gain access to a network of technical experts, opportunities to present to industry partners, and additional funding opportunities. They can also access the New Energy Nexus global community and network.

6. Success Stories: CalTestBed has successfully supported numerous clean energy companies in increasing their TRL levels and securing additional funding. It’s a valuable resource for companies looking to bridge the gap between technology development and commercialization.

Looking Ahead: CalTestBed’s Fourth Cohort

As CalTestBed embarks on its fourth cohort, there’s excitement about what lies ahead. The program is evolving, with plans for in-person symposiums and expanded support. Entrepreneurs, especially those from underrepresented communities and regions like the Central Valley, are encouraged to explore this opportunity.

Action Steps:

1. Apply for CalTestBed: The application window opens on October 27th and closes on November 22nd. Visit the CalTestBed website to get started and access the application materials.

2. Prepare: Your Application: Ensure your application aligns with the program’s eligibility criteria and clearly addresses innovation, feasibility, scalability, and market potential. Avoid overlooking the importance of how your technology benefits California ratepayers.

3. Engage: with CleanStart: CleanStart can provide guidance and support throughout the application process. Reach out to them for insights and assistance.

Conclusion:

CalTestBed presents a remarkable opportunity for clean energy entrepreneurs in California. It not only offers financial support for testing but also opens doors to a network of experts and potential future funding. As clean energy innovation continues to drive progress toward a sustainable future, programs like CalTestBed play a crucial role in propelling these innovations from the lab to the market. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this exciting journey. Apply, innovate, and accelerate with CalTestBed.

Watch the full discussion here.

Hear From Our Best!

Join us for an unforgettable evening at our upcoming “Spotlight Investor Pitch Night,” coinciding with Global Entrepreneurship Week. It’s happening on Thursday, November 16th, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Carlsen Center.

Unveiling Four Companies with Compelling Stories

We’re thrilled to introduce you to four worthy companies actively seeking investment and demonstrating remarkable market traction. This event is your chance to engage with these successful innovators on the verge of rapid growth, having strategically mitigated their risks. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear about their potentially game-changing innovations.

Meet the Innovators:

XeroHome – Witness cutting-edge AI technology that customizes clean energy recommendations for homeowners without the need for on-site visits or labor-intensive audits. With nationwide utility endorsements, this is a big leap in the world of sustainable energy.

LiCAP Technologies – Explore a breakthrough in battery production that is more cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and power-boosting. Battery manufacturers are eagerly awaiting this high-speed manufacturing solution to revolutionize the industry.

AscentOs – Be captivated by software designed to streamline the process of selling solar and storage systems, reducing installation costs for homeowners and small businesses. Early users are raving about this game-changing solution.

JAPA – Say goodbye to the hassle of searching for parking spots. JAPA’s innovative sensor technology and user-friendly app are already winning the hearts of major hospitals, ensuring you never waste time or fuel looking for a parking space again.

Engage and Learn:

Each company will have just 10 minutes to present their visionary ideas, followed by an engaging Q&A session with our panel of five industry experts. Then, the floor opens for questions from the audience.

Venue:

The event will take place at the Carlsen Center, located at Sac State. As you network and mingle, enjoy a selection of drinks and light refreshments. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to be amazed and inspired by these incredible companies as they take their game to the next level. Be a part of something truly special – join us on November 16th!

Mark your calendar, and reserve your spot now!

In the clean energy transition, the toughest challenges are in moving the transportation sector away from petroleum fuels, and within that the hardest nut to crack is likely to be making heavy duty trucks switch to zero emission vehicles.  This has been one of our favorite topics in looking at potential business opportunities for entrepreneurs.  See our recent internal discussions and our last blog on charging.

We tackled the topic again in our MeetUp on Nov. 2.  We had presentations from Tim Taylor, Vice President and Co-director of the Sacramento Clean Cities Coalition, and Orville Thomas, the incoming CEO of the California Mobility Center.  They stimulated a lively discussion.  You can view the entire session in our video on YouTube. You can also view the highlight version.

Here were some of the key points:

1. Through clever load management and system optimization we can squeeze more out of the existing electrical system to feed EVs, through things like bi-directional charging, managing the load from chargers so that they do not exceed available supplies, and putting battery-buffers on chargers.  (We have seen the last approach from companies like FreeWire and ElectricFish).
2. But any significant conversion of the transportation to EVs will overwhelm the available supply.  On an energy consumption basis, the transportation sector now based on fuels is more than twice the size of the electrical system.  At some point, dramatic additions to the electricity supply will be needed.
3. The choices seem to be to add to the general supply by adding more carbon-neutral power generation and transmission assets, put generation adjacent to the locations where EV charging demand is the greatest (especially for heavy duty vehicles) in the form of microgrids, or do more with on-board hydrogen zero emissions power generators, with the need to add to hydrogen production and distribution assets.

1. The recent proposed rule from CARB would create a gradual increase in the conversion of heavy-duty trucks to zero emissions by 2042, but it is still aggressive.  A significant concession is that it would apply only to fleets of more than 50 vehicles and only after existing vehicles have reached their lifetime.  With so many tractors owned by individuals or in small fleets, the rule would affect a much smaller number of trucks.  But the number affected is still huge.
2. If the microgrid approach is used for heavy-duty charging stations, the question remains as to what will power it.  Given the concentration of demand at such sites, it is unlikely that solar or wind alone will be sufficient.  Some form of engine-generator will likely be required and that raises the question of what fuel it will use.  The politics seem to be against using any carbon-containing fuel even if it is a renewable fuel that could be shown to be carbon neutral.  It would also need to have minimal NOx emissions.  There are some big engines that would meet this need but they are expensive.  Locating them so the microgrid could be used for other purposes, like powering a nearby industrial facility, may reduce the sting of the cost, but raise issues of conflict with the local utility.  There may be ways to get the utilities on-side and make them part of the solution.  We also discussed small scale nuclear plants as an option.
3. The whole range of challenges may be part of the new mission of the California Mobility Center.  Orville Thomas is willing to widen the scope of what the CMC could do, including a broader definition of “mobility” to include more options for disadvantaged communities.
4. He is pretty certain that the CMC will be moving on or near the Sac State campus and be administered by the university.  His vision includes a new $500 million complex on campus near Ramona Road, including a new building for the College of Engineering and Computer Science.  At this point, there is no funding for such a vision, but he thought there were good prospects and a lot of enthusiasm to get it done.
5. Both presenters emphasized the need for a larger trained workforce to address all the challenges.  Orville mentioned the possibility of an advanced degree program in power for the mobility sector.

This was a very rich discussion, and it highlights a lot of opportunities for innovation and new businesses.  We will be carrying on this whole discussion in future MeetUps and on our Perspectives webcasts.  Keep an eye out for future announcements from CleanStart.

Does this discussion give you a good business idea you would like to explore?  Set up a call with us and we will help you.

Big Charging Station for Electric Trucks Near Sacramento Airport

$34 USDOT million grant, 25 MW, Charge big rig in 20-50 minutes, developed by WattEV