Clean Energy Trust Challenge
2015

See the winners and finalists of our 2015 Clean Energy Trust Challenge.

NETenergy

$100,000 | The Pritzker Foundation Prize

A student team from University of Chicago, NETenergy is an energy storage and management service provider that combines intelligent energy management software with a unique thermal storage technology using phase change composites

Igor

$100,000 | The Wells Fargo Prize
$25,000 | McCaffery Lakeside Building Efficiency Prize

An Iowa-based Power-over-Ethernet lighting, sensor, and data platform, Igor licenses its technology and services to manufacturers, leading to 80% savings towards installation and 60% savings towards energy.

DesignFlux Technologies

$20,000 | The ComEd Female Founder Prize
$55,000 | Clean Energy Prize Fund award

This female-lead company has developed a patented software-based battery power management system. They use predictive software algorithms and minimal peripheral circuitry to control all functions in a battery pack.

FGC Plasma Solutions

$50,000 | The U.S. Department of Energy Student Prize
$50,000 | The Aviation Clean Energy Award

A Case Western Reserve University student team is developing a fuel nozzle to improve jet-engine efficiency. Their technology will improve fuel economy and safety by integrated plasma in the combustion process.

Sun Number

$20,000 | The Hanley Foundation Prize
$30,000 | Clean Energy Prize Fund

Sun Number has developed a tool for analyzing rooftops and the solar power potential of the roof. Their process is intended to help companies identify and best properties for solar installations and target specific customers, and also offers a quick, fun service for consumers to instantly calculate their house’s Sun Number.

Glucan Biorenewables

$50,000 | Clean Energy Prize fund

A Missouri-based company that is developing a platform to commercialize a solvent-based biomass conversion that delivers cost-disruptive production of specialty and commodity drop-in chemicals.

Ampy

$200,000 | Emerging Growth Award, Clean Energy Prize Fund

The smallest wearable motion charger on the market, AMPY allows users to charge their devices through movement. This innovative product has been gaining popularity as an alternative to the lengthy wait for charging stations at large events, for distance athletes, and for frequent travelers.

All Finalists

Advanced Renewable Technology International (ARTi)

Iowa State University, IA | Biomass

ARTi manufactures activated char and carbon membranes for water filtration using Midwestern agricultural residues, like corn stocks, soybean remnants and grasses, which are the building blocks for renewable carbon-based filtration media and outperform the existing purification technologies. ARTichar reduces costs, improves efficiency, and addresses tough contaminants when used as capacitive deionization carbon-based membranes.

Atlas Energy Systems

Purdue University, IN | Energy Storage

Atlas Energy Systems is developing the Atlas Power Cell, a patent-pending novel energy conversion device that takes the energy from spent nuclear waste and converts it directly into usable electricity. Atlas’ vision is to partner with nuclear power plants and take their nuclear waste to recycle this material into safe clean energy for various external applications.

CrystalE

Case Western Reserve University, OH | Smart Buildings & Devices

CrystalE is developing a wireless sensor node system, consisting of mechanical energy harvesting components, multiphysical sensor components and wireless communication units with ultra-low energy consumption. The system is always on without external energy input and provides various kinds of environmental information for the smart building system to monitor the building conditions. CrystalE intends to use this low-cost, easily deployed, self powering system in order to enhance smart building technology.

FGC Plasma Solutions

Case Western Reserve University, OH | Advanced Transportation / Fuel Efficiency

FGC Plasma Solutions has developed a process of injecting fuel into jet engines by using plasma to modify the actual combustion reaction, simultaneously increasing safety while decreasing fuel consumption. Although plasma assisted combustion is a well-known phenomenon which has been studied for over 30 years, the challenge has been getting this technology out of the lab and into a jet engine. FGC plans to implement this plasma assisted combustion process by integrating plasma assisted combustion topology with a fuel nozzle that has been developed as a plug and play solution which can be easily installed during routine maintenance.

SOFI Automotive

Northwestern University, IL | Alternative Fuels

SOFI Automotive uses atmospheric carbon dioxide, water and sunlight as inputs to produce methanol. Carbon dioxide is separated from ambient air via air capture and hydrogen is produced through an electrolyzer, which uses water as an input. SOFI’s model uses one ton of carbon dioxide per year, one liter of water per day and produces one to two gallons of methanol per day, amounting to a daily commute of 80 miles and a carbon footprint near or equal to zero.

Accio Energy

Ann Arbor, MI | Wind Energy

Accio Energy is developing turbine-free wind energy generation systems offering 50% lower cost offshore, 20% more energy and a multitude of siting advantages. Accio’s sustainable solution can achieve unsubsidized cost parity with new coal and natural gas plants. These novel systems are going to radically advance offshore wind energy competitiveness and expand the use of renewable power generation to address the increasingly urgent impact of climate change.

Design Flux Technologies

Maple Heights, Ohio | Energy Storage

Design Flux Technologies has produced the world’s first software-defined power management system. This patented system is a new type of battery cell controller and switching device that uses real-time predictive software algorithms and minimal peripheral circuitry to control all functions in a battery pack, enabling system-level efficiency improvements by up to 40%, decreasing installation costs by 50% and extending battery life by 30% for original end manufacturers.

Glucan Biorenewables

St. Louis, MO | Biomass

GlucanBio is commercializing a solvent-based biomass conversion platform that delivers cost-disruptive production of specialty and commodity drop-in chemicals. Key technology advantages include the ability to quickly fractionate biomass under mild process conditions, perform hydrolysis reactions 100X faster and dehydration reactions 30X faster than those conducted in water, and produce the solvent within the process from the feed stock biomass.

Igor

Johnston, IA | Smart Buildings & Devices

Igor is a Power-over-Ethernet lighting, sensor, and data platform that licenses its technology and services to manufacturers, leading to 80% savings towards installation and 60% savings towards energy.

Mercurius Biorefining

Holland, MI | Biofuels

Mercurius Biorefining has developed a non-fermentation, non-alcohol based, cheaper, faster method of producing profitable drop-in biofuels (jet fuel and diesel) from non-food biomass feedstocks. Mercurius uses a proprietary, patent pending technology called Renewable Acid-hydrolysis Condensation Hydrotreating (REACH) to make profitable drop-in hydrocarbon liquid fuels.

NETenergy

Chicago, IL | Thermal Storage

NETenergy is an energy storage and management service provider that combines intelligent energy management software with a unique thermal storage technology using phase change composites. NETenergy’s thermal energy storage units store cold energy in the form of latent heat and distribute this energy when needed, allowing customers to shift their A/C energy consumption to cheap and efficient off-peak hours while saving 30% or more on their energy consumption.

Rahtmobile

Minneapolis, MN | Advanced Transportation

Rahtmobile is producing The Raht Racer, a human-hybrid vehicle with amplified pedal power, enabling the driver’s legs to propel up to highway speeds. Safer than a motorcycle or bicycle on a busy street, protection includes an integrated roll cage, composite shell, seat belts, air bag, headlights and other automotive safety features. The result is a new Iron Man-like, power-sport experience that intends to solve the practical problems inherent in bike commuting.

Sun Number

Deephaven, MN | Solar Energy

Sun Number has developed an automated process that aims to lower the cost of customer acquisition across the solar industry by analyzing rooftops and the impact of shade for every square meter of the roof. Sun Number combines this information with big data sets like consumer behavior and energy load estimates to identify the most desirable properties for solar and allows companies to focus their efforts on qualified properties in order to reduce their cost of customer acquisition.

The Light Sentry

Naperville, IL | Smart Lighting

The Light Sentry is developing a patented smart lighting technology using a combination of time and natural light levels to trigger lighting events, creating an individual lighting experience based on the natural light available for one’s unique location. Differentiating the Light Sentry from other systems is the wireless, remote hub technology that monitors sunlight and communicates the information to the Light Sentry command center.