Hawaii Energy Excelerator Seeking Applicants for 2015 CohortFriday, May 16, 2014 Hawaii’s energy-startup program will deploy over $5M in funding, resources, and connections to 14 companies.On June 1, 2014, Energy Excelerator applications open for its 2015 seed and growth cohorts. The startup program will invest over $5M of funding, resources, and connections in 14 companies. They call their approach to selecting those companies “place-based innovation” because they look for companies that specifically fit into Hawaii’s energy system. Over the past two months, the Energy Excelerator team has traveled throughout the islands and across the nation to identify the most immediate energy challenges and trends. The Energy Excelerator’s advisory board – made up of representatives from the State Energy Office, Hawaiian Electric Industries, U.S. Department of Energy, and Office of Naval Research – met to discuss energy challenges faced by Hawaii that could be scaled to the world. This resulted in the Energy Excelerator’s 2014-2015 focus areas. “Our mission is two fold,” says Dawn Lippert, Director of the Energy Excelerator. “We aim to help Hawaii solve urgent problems in energy while supporting our entrepreneurial ecosystem and helping companies grow.” Starting June 1, local and mainland-based companies can apply to address these challenges. By September 2014, the Energy Excelerator will select up to 14 startups, eight seed stage and six growth stage. The Energy Excelerator then works to build a customized community around each startup that will help address each company’s core needs. Seed-stage startups will be matched with mentors and awarded $75,000 to strengthen their business models and go-to-market strategies. Growth-stage companies will receive up to $1M, which must be matched by private funding, to demonstrate their solution in an early market. More information on the program and applications can be found at energyexcelerator.com/apply. The Energy Excelerator, a program of the Pacific International Center for High Technology Research, will be holding info sessions for potential applicants. To get the latest updates follow them on twitter (@energy_excel). _________ 2015 Topic Areas www.energyexcelerator.com/apply Hawaii depends on oil for 90% of its total energy use and about 85% of electricity generation. As oil grows increasingly expensive, the state has committed to transforming to an economy based on clean, locally produced energy. Clean energy goals for the year 2030 are driven by a 40% renewable portfolio standard and 30% energy efficiency portfolio standard, and target of 70% reduction of oil in ground transportation. Other islands that depend on fuel oil and diesel for electricity generation are seeking similar transformations. In Hawaii, this evolution is well under way; renewable energy and energy efficiency deployment have been growing quickly over the last 5 years. Topic Area 1 / Energy Systems Integration: Electric Grid, Transportation, Agriculture, Water Meeting these clean energy goals on island systems requires systems thinking – technologies and business models that complement each other to advance clean energy across the whole system. The Energy Excelerator seeks technologies and business models that can have an impact in Hawaii and the Asia Pacific in four key areas: grid, transportation, agriculture, and water. Electric Grid Hawaii’s high level of grid-tied renewable energy, the highest in the nation, is introducing new challenges for managing relatively small island grids. New solutions at the grid edge are needed to overcome to integrate increasing amounts of renewable energy resources. For example, the Hawaiian islands and other parts of the Asia Pacific have high levels of solar deployment. On Oahu, approximately 10% of the homes have PV systems - some circuits have installed renewable generation greater than 100% of daytime minimum load. These high levels have slowed the interconnection of new systems due to concerns of how PV might impact transmission and distribution systems, especially at the edges of the grid. Hawaii also experiences a strong evening peak in electricity demand that occurs around 7:00pm. Kauai, Maui, and the Hawaii Island experience approximately a 40 MW increase in load over 4-5 hours; Oahu experiences a 300 MW increase over 5-6 hours. Solutions that deploy innovation leveraging existing assets in the built environment can also be highly impactful in this space. Transportation In 2012, Honolulu was ranked the third-most traffic congested city in North America. As new developments spur population growth on Oahu, the state must figure out how to move a growing population. A high-speed rail system is being constructed that will eventually run from Oahu’s west side to the Honolulu airport and downtown Honolulu. System-wide transportation solutions will be needed for last mile transport from rail stations to final destinations, as well as solutions to integrate multiple modes of transportation into a seamless experience for travelers and commuters. In addition, transportation systems that complement renewable energy and building efficiency have significant value in island systems, helping utilities manage the grid by providing services through vehicle charging and other solutions. Agriculture Hawaii and the Asia Pacific have favorable natural agricultural conditions due to the year-round growing season. Agriculture is an important economic engine for many island and Asia-Pacific communities. However, the high cost of agricultural production and limited availability of suitable land also presents challenges. In particular, energy and water have become major cost drivers for agricultural producers. Farmers and landowners seeking to manage their energy costs and find additional revenue streams could benefit from the integration of agriculture and energy production, especially through low-cost systems that are simple to install, operate, and maintain. Water Water systems are some of the largest energy users in Hawaii and the Asia Pacific is the water system. Pumping, transporting, and treating water and wastewater accounts for approximately 5% of energy usage in the Hawaiian Islands; each million gallons of water draws over $400,000 of electricity from end to end. Technologies that reduce water use in the built environment, including industrial, commercial, residential, and agricultural operations, will reduce resource requirements for energy as well as water. Topic Area 2 / Energy Systems Resilience Islands can be vulnerable to disruptions since many resources are imported and supply lines and infrastructure are relatively isolated. Building security and flexibility into island systems increases system resilience in the face of natural disasters and economic disruptions. For such regions, resilience encompasses both near-term physical security and long-term economic security. Near-term physical security means increasing the ability to withstand and respond to natural and other disasters that could impact electricity, fuel, water, and food infrastructure. Technologies that protect the integrity and security of critical systems while also enabling better operations and communications have significant value in Hawaii and other island communities. Long-term economic security means transitioning to greater amounts of local food and energy resources to reduce imports, thereby reducing exposure to regional supply disruptions and price fluctuations. Solutions that work within the context of a whole island system – integrating with existing and planned infrastructure, leveraging existing human capital and processes – could be highly impactful in this region. Topic Area 3 / Other We are always looking for creative companies to come into this space with new solutions around data management, visualization, financing innovation, microgrids, and other technologies and business models. Create your own category, and explain how it will help solve energy challenges in Hawaii and the Asia Pacific. |