An important conduit from entrepreneurship to commercialization.
Ron Schoff is the senior program manager for the Electric Power Research Institute’s Technology Innovation program, where he coordinates advanced R&D efforts across the organization to support changing needs within the utility industry. He holds a master’s of science in chemical engineering from Villanova University, and a bachelor’s of science in chemical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.
What if the coating on a power plant's condenser tubes was more durable and long-lasting? And what if a more durable coating also meant a reduction in CO2 emissions? The industry may soon have a better grasp on this thanks to a state-of-the-art hydrophobic coating being developed by NBD Nanotechnologies.
Would offshore wind farms be more plentiful with technology that is less obvious and more scalable due to a turbine-less design? We may soon know the answer to this question as well. Accio Energy is redefining wind energy with advanced technology that generates energy from positively charged water droplets, with no moving parts or danger to wildlife.
Bringing innovative ideas such as these to life, or more importantly to market, can be a complex process for a budding entrepreneur attempting to navigate a world of business plans, marketing, branding and research and development. This is where clean energy incubators play a critical role, including with the aforementioned companies. As the power system continues to change at an unprecedented pace, providing the utility industry with innovative technologies such as these is becoming more and more imperative.