NYSERDA announces semifinalists in this year’s 76West clean-energy competition

The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) on Wednesday announced that 20 semifinalists have been selected as part of its 76West clean-energy competition.

The event highlights emerging clean-energy innovation while supporting business and economic growth as one of the “largest competitions” in the U.S., NYSERDA said.

“This year’s 76West semifinalists have brought forward a wide-range of innovative clean energy technologies…,” Doreen Harris, acting president and CEO of NYSERDA, said in a statement. “This competition sets the semifinalists up for success through mentoring opportunities with Southern Tier companies as they advance their proposals. Clean energy innovation will continue to be a critical ingredient for tackling some of our nation’s most pressing environmental and clean energy challenges.”

Harris has assumed the duties that Alicia Barton previously handled before her departure from NYSERDA on June 26 for a new job with a company in Massachusetts.

Administered by NYSERDA, the 76West competition was launched in 2016 as a $20 million, four-year initiative to grow the clean-energy ecosystem in the Southern Tier with funds from the regional greenhouse-gas initiative and the clean-energy fund.

Due to its “significant positive impact” for the region, the competition is being funded this year by Empire State Development through the Southern Tier Soaring Upstate Revitalization Initiative. The contest supports technological and other innovation initiatives to meet New York State’s climate and decarbonization goals, NYSERDA said.

Previous competition winners and semifinalists have raised $29 million in private capital and created multimillion-dollar investments in property and equipment. They have invested more than $2 million in key suppliers. Past winners include Micatu, Optimus Technologies; Skyven Technologies; EkoStinger; Switched Source; Hub Controls; C4V; Suntegra; ProsumerGrid; SolarKal; Global Thermostat; and Southern Tier Technologies.

Semifinalists

This year’s 76West semifinalists and technology focus areas are the following:

New York State

Finger Lakes

• Paradigm of New York, Rochester – transportation

New York City

• Aquaneers, New York City – building and industrial energy efficiency
• COI Energy Services, New York City – renewable energy
• ThermoAI, New York City – greenhouse-gas mitigation

Mid-Hudson

• Solar-Tectic, Croton – chemicals and advanced materials
• Teratonix, Scarsdale – building and industrial energy efficiency

Southern Tier

• Combplex, Ithaca – agriculture
• Ecolectro, Ithaca – chemicals and advanced materials
• Heat Inverse, Ithaca – transportation

Long Island

• Urban Freight Corporation, Carle Place – transportation

Out-of-state

• AGreatE, Carlsbad, California – energy storage and batteries
• DelfinSia, Houston, Texas – greenhouse-gas mitigation
• Littoral Power Systems, New Bedford, Massachusetts – renewable energy
• Medley Thermal, Somerville, Massachusetts – building and industrial energy efficiency
• NexxGen Power Authority, Babcock Ranch, Florida – waste recycling or water efficiency
• Saratoga Energy Corporation, Richmond, California – chemicals and advanced materials.

International

• Alp Technologies, London, United Kingdom – energy storage and batteries
• Clir Renewables, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada – energy transmission and distribution
• gridX GmbH, Munich, Germany – energy transmission and distribution
• OXTO Energy, Guildford, Surrey, United Kingdom – energy storage and batteries