BINGHAMTON — A Pennsylvania company that makes emission-reducing biodiesel fuel systems for trucks is using its grand-prize win in this fall’s 76West clean-energy competition to expand its operations in the Southern Tier. Pittsburgh–based Optimus Technologies, which manufactures biodiesel fuel systems for diesel trucks that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and fuel costs, was named the $1 million […]
BINGHAMTON — A Pennsylvania company that makes emission-reducing biodiesel fuel systems for trucks is using its grand-prize win in this fall’s 76West clean-energy competition to expand its operations in the Southern Tier.
Pittsburgh–based Optimus Technologies, which manufactures biodiesel fuel systems for diesel trucks that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and fuel costs, was named the $1 million grand prize winner on Sept. 25.
The company plans to expand its operations to the Southern Tier, the office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo said.
New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the winners during the Sept. 25 ceremony at Binghamton University.
Optimus Technologies was founded in 2010 in Pittsburgh “to commercialize the results of five years of research and development of biodiesel systems for diesel engines. These efforts were driven by the vision and the knowledge that other alternative fuel solutions were prohibitively expensive and did not provide the same results as biodiesel,” the company says on its website. “Based on this research and our patented technology, Optimus developed the Vector System — a bi-fuel conversion system that enables diesel engines to run primarily on biodiesel.”
Other winners
Optimus Technologies was among six winning companies at the 76West competition, described as “one of the largest competitions in the country that supports growing clean energy businesses to foster economic development.”
A total of $2.5 million was competitively awarded to six companies. A $500,000 winner and four $250,000 winners were also named as part of the competition, which is administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
$500,000 award winner
Radical Plastics of Marblehead, Massachusetts captured a $500,000 award. It develops a biodegradable replacement for agricultural plastic mulch, lowering greenhouse-gas emissions and improving air quality by reducing fertilizer and avoiding plastic incineration.
$250,000 award winners
The $250,000 winners include CleanFiber of Buffalo. The company manufactures low-dust high-performance cellulose building insulation from recycled cardboard that increases energy efficiency and reduces energy costs.
Cambridge Crops of Somerville, Massachusetts produces an edible bio-based protein coating that reduces food spoilage and waste as well as associated carbon dioxide emissions from food production and transport.
The winners also include Carbon Upcycling Technologies of Calgary, Alberta, which transforms carbon-dioxide emissions into nanoparticles that can be used to produce coatings and additives to extend the life of concrete, thereby helping to avoid greenhouse gas emissions associated with concrete manufacturing.
ProsumerGrid of Atlanta, Georgia produces integrated planning software enabling electric utilities and energy service companies to optimize deployment of distributed energy resources such as solar and energy storage.