Last week, Governor John Lynch joined U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu and University of New Hampshire President Mark W. Huddleston in announcing the six businesses selected to participate in the second round of the Green Launching Pad.
Governor Lynch spearheaded an effort to create the Green Launching Pad, a partnership between the state and the university established last year that is working to help innovative companies bring new products to market and create jobs. Last year, UNH faculty staff and students provided intensive support to five New Hampshire companies working to bring new, clean energy products to market.
The announcement was made at EnerTrac in Hudson, one of the five companies to participate in the first round of the Green Launching Pad.
“The first round of the Green Launching Pad has been a tremendous success, benefiting not only those companies that participated, but working to strengthen our state’s economy,” Governor Lynch said. “I am focused on making sure that we are growing the jobs and companies of the future right here in New Hampshire and the Green Launching Pad is just one way we are doing that. The ideas and the products that have been nurtured by the Green Launching Pad are helping create good jobs, and I am pleased that we are working together to help six more New Hampshire businesses.”
The Green Launching Pad is funded with $1.5 million of federal economic stimulus funds from the U.S. Department of Energy.
“The Department of Energy is proud to be a partner in the Green Launching Pad program,” said Secretary Chu. “By helping New Hampshire’s clean energy businesses grow, we can strengthen our competitiveness and create the good jobs of the 21st century.”
About 50 businesses and entrepreneurs submitted applications seeking to take part in the Green Launching Pad. An advisory board selected six business teams that will be supported during an intensive summer business accelerator program based in the Seacoast and aligned with UNH.
“Our support of the Green Launching Pad demonstrates UNH working at its best with its local and national partners. One result, of course, is new jobs at innovative and growing companies. This work is also helping thousands of New Hampshire residents and businesses save money on their fuel bills,” President Huddleston said.
“And EnerTrac’s smart meters are helping fuel oil and propane companies to be more profitable while they also reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions. Creating and encouraging ventures like this is at the heart of our mission at UNH, and it is critical to helping our nation compete in an emerging green and global economy,” said President Huddleston.
Selected companies will be connected to business, science and engineering faculty to develop finance and marketing plans. The Green Launching Pad will also connect businesses with angel investors and private sector business mentors.
“Today’s Green Launching Pad announcement is yet another example of how the Recovery Act is making smart investments in New Hampshire businesses to create jobs, transition to clean energy, and keep America competitive in the global economy. I commend the University of New Hampshire for its ongoing efforts to help these innovative New Hampshire businesses and entrepreneurs turn their ideas into reality,” said U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who supported funding for the Green Launching Pad.
EnerTrac has been successful in developing a remote monitoring system to help fuel dealers improve both operational efficiency and reduce harmful emissions by more than 30 percent. The success of the company illustrates the mission behind the Green Launching Pad program, and serves as an example to other New Hampshire companies looking to enter the emerging green economy.
“We are delighted to have the Governor Lynch and Secretary Chu at this event to announce the GLP 2.0 winning companies. In the Green launching Pad, we continue to work hard towards providing an opportunity for students, faculty and others on college campuses across the state of New Hampshire to work with private industry to help strengthen the region’s economy and also help address environmental concerns,” said Ross Gittell, UNH professor and co-project director of the Green Launching Pad.
“The drivers of Green Launching Pad are the five ‘Es’ – Energy, Economy, Environment, Entrepreneurship and Education. In the Green Launching pad, we make sure that while we create and grow successful green ventures, we focus on each of these five ‘Es’ by developing and supporting inter-disciplinary teams of students, faculty researchers and entrepreneurs and connecting them with industry experts and state-level resources,” said Venky Venkatachalam, UNH professor and co-project director of the Green Launching Pad.
For more information about the Green Launching Pad, visit http://www.greenlaunchingpad.org/.
A brief description of the winning teams and their projects is attached:
SustainX Inc., Lebanon, NH
SustainX provides a new non-toxic technology for low-cost scalable energy storage. The company’s new technology enables efficient storage of renewable energy – such as wind and. The energy storage technology is modular and allows for siting anywhere, from low-scale to grid-scale storage. www.sustainx.com
Blue2Green LLC, Ashland, NH
Blue2green will promote hydroelectric power production by restoring dams to produce renewable energy and attracting investors to suitable dams and mill-restoration projects. The revitalization of hydroelectric power in small- to medium-sized former industrial mill towns can help produce renewable energy, create jobs and preserve community history. www.blue2greenllc.com.
Holase, Inc., Portsmouth, NH
Holase has developed self-contained, solar-powered LED traffic signal lights that are low-cost and easy to set up and operate. www.holase.com
New England Footwear LLC, Newmarket, NH
New England Footwear has developed a sustainable solution to footwear manufacturing and a way to revive shoe manufacturing in the region through new technologies that use organic materials, molds – instead of stitch and sew – and modular design to allow for easy replacement and re-use. www.newenglandfootwear.com
Therma-HEXX LLC, Exeter, NH
Therma-HEXX invented an invisible low-cost solar collector and heat exchanger with a diversity of potential applications. Applications include winter time melting of snow and ice off of roofs and summer time cooling pool side pavements while heating pools. www.therma-hexx.com
Walker-Wellington, LLC, Portsmouth, NH
Walker-Wellington of Portsmouth has developed a hydrokinetic turbine power generation system, which will capture and produce off-grid renewable energy for on-site use. Primary users will be municipal wastewater treatment facilities and drinking water delivery systems. www.walkerwellington.com.