microgrid technologies competition -...
TRANSCRIPT
MICROGRID TECHNOLOGIES COMPETITION
-- ROUND 2 --
ALASKACENTERFORMICROGRIDTECHNOLOGIESCOMMERCIALIZATION
6/23/2017
COLLABORATORS:
ALASKACENTERFORENERGYANDPOWER,BUSINESSENTERPRISEINSTITUTE,
UNIVERSITYOFALASKACENTERFORECONOMICDEVELOPMENT,AND
ALASKASMALLBUSINESSDEVELOPMENTCENTERATTHEUNIVERSITYOFALASKA
FUNDEDBY:
U.S.ECONOMICDEVELOPMENTADMINISTRATIONUNDERGRANT:ED15HDQ0200002,
ANDOFFICEOFNAVALRESEARCH
UNDERGRANT:N00014-16-1-2533,WITHMATCHINGFUNDSPROVIDEDBYTHEALASKACENTERFORENERGYANDPOWER
ANDBUSINESSENTERPRISEINSTITUTEATTHEUNIVERSITYOFALASKA
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Microgridsareeverywherefromairportstomilitarybasestoremotecommunities,andthemicrogridmarketispredictedtoriseto$35.1billionby2020(TransparencyMarketResearch,2016).Alaskaishometomorethan200smallcommunitymicrogridsandapproximately12%ofthedevelopedmicrogridsintheworld.Theseremotecommunities,specificallythelocalutilities,areveryinterestedintheintegrationofnewtechnologiessothatthecontributionsofrenewableenergiesintheirsystemscanbeincreasedandtheuseofexpensivedieselfueldecreased.Privatecompaniesandothersolutiondevelopershaveaninterestinconfirmingthattheirtechnologycanoperateefficientlyinremoteareas,coldweather,andharshconditions.
Toaddresstheseneeds,theAlaskaCenterforMicrogridTechnologiesCommercializationhaslaunchedacompetition for companies whowant to improve their technology for use in remote and/or austeremicrogridenvironments.
Throughthiscompetition,ACEPwillprovideservicesvaluedupto$308,000tocompanieswhoare
interestedinR&Dsupporttoacceleratecommercializationforproductsintendedtoimproveoperation
andtechnicalefficiencyofmicrogrids.
Figure1:Componentsofanislandedmicrogridsetup
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The Rewards
MicrogridProject* TechnologySeedSupport**
Upto40daysR&DintheACEPPSI(PowerSystemsIntegration)Laboratory
R&Dtocommercializationreview
(Labdayseithergoingto1projectorbesplitbetween2projects)
3smallprojects(foreachwithupto125man-hours)
Thecompetitionwillhaveoneortwograndprizewinner/sthatwillreceiveupto40daysofR&DtimeintheACEPPowerSystemsIntegrationLaboratory.ThisincludesR&Dsupportandin-systemtestingoftheir technology, to prove its feasibility, and improve it for use inmicrogrids around theworld. The
competitionwillalsoawardupto125man-hoursforR&Dsupportto3smallerprojects.
ThroughtheuseoftheAlaskaCenter forEnergyandPower’s facilitiesandexpertise,we’llhelpyouproveyourtechnologyanditsfinancialfeasibilityforusearoundtheworld.
*R&D time for the grand prizewinner includes access to ACEP Power Systems Integration (PSI)Laboratoryandassociatedstaffforin-systemR&Dandtestingoftheirtechnology.Labdaysawardedcanbe expended on R&D and review work, retooling of the PSI Lab and installation of the winner’sequipment(costofmaterialsexcluded),andoperationofthelaboratoryforin-systemR&Dandtesting(PSILabequipmentoperatedsolelybyACEPStaff).
** Technology Seed Support is limited to R&D support (e.g., drafting, specification development,identification of necessary improvements, support of software development, interface specification),design reviews and consulting with the objective of accelerating a successful commercializationtrajectory.
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How to Apply
Step1:Submit“ExpressionofInterest”
If you’re interested in the competition, please submit your information in a questionnaire athttp://bit.ly/2rpeJXLtoletusknowaboutyourproject,yourneeds,andhowwecanreachyou.Onthequestionnaire you can also request free and confidential business advising through the Alaska SmallBusinessDevelopmentCenter(SBDC).
Asthecompetitiondeadlineapproaches,wewillsendyouupdatesandreminders.
Expressionsofinterestaredueby:August2nd,2017.
Step2:ReviewofEligibilityRequirements
We’relookingforprojectswiththepotentialofabigeconomicimpact.Tomakesurethatwe’retakingon the best projects, we’ve assembled an independent advisory team that will review projects foreligibility.
Tobeconsidered,applicantsmustsubmitthefollowingitems1:
• Atechnology,product,orservicedescription
• Aprojectplan
• Afinancialplan
• Acommercializationplan
• Amarketanalysis
1FullapplicationinstructionswillbemadeavailabletothoseregisteredinStep1priortotheopeningoftheapplicationperiod.
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QualifiedApplicantswilldemonstratethat:
• The project will positively impact microgrids by increasing technical efficiency, renewablecontribution,andstabilityofmicrogridsystems
• Theprojectcanbeconductedwithinnecessarytechnicalandsafetyprotocols
• The project can be completed within the budget and within 12 months (grand prize), or 6months(smallawards)oftheaward
• Theprojectwillleadtothecommercializationofaproduct,service,ortechnology
• The applicant provides matching funds through either cash or in-kind support through theprovisionofgoodsand/orlabor2
• Intellectualpropertyrightstotheproductorserviceoriginatewiththeapplicant
Preferencewillbegiventoapplicantswhodemonstrate:
• Thepotentialforlargeeconomicimpact,i.e.,reductionofenergycostinremotemicrogridsandcreationofjobsintheU.S.EDAWesternRegion3,withpreferenceonAlaska
• Aproofofconcept,aprototype,and/orintellectualpropertyownership
• Businessownershipand/orabusinessplan
• AletterofendorsementfromanAlaskanutilityfortheirtechnology
• AphysicalpresenceintheU.S.EDAWesternRegion
2webinarsarescheduledwheretheapplicationprocesswillbeexplainedandwherequestionscanbeaskedbypotentialapplicants.Furthermore,requestsfor informationaboutanypartoftheapplicationprocessorsimplyarequestforhelpcanbeemailedtoacmtc.questions@alaska.eduatanytime.
Step3:SubmitaFormalApplication
WeanticipateourformalapplicationperiodtobefromAugust2nd,2017toSeptember1st,2017.
SendanelectroniccopyofyourapplicationinPDFformat,andfollowingtheapplicationguidelines, toacmtc.competition@alaska.edu4.Applicationsthatdonotfollowtherequestedformatoraremissingrequestedinformationwillberejected.
Emailshavetobereceivednolaterthan11:59PMAKDTonSeptember1st,2017tobeconsidered.
2Allowablematchingfundsare:provisionofcashforadditionalACEPstafftimeand/orlabtime(seebudgetworksheetforrates);in-kind:internallabornottoexceedindustrytypicalrates,andprovisionofadditionalsupplies(valuedatacceptablemarketrates)necessaryforintegrationofequipmentinPSILab(applicableonlyforgrandprize,laborforinstallationbyACEPstaffwillbebilledagainstawardorcashmatch).3U.S.EDAWesternRegionisdefinedas:Alaska,Arizona,California,Hawaii,Idaho,Nevada,Oregon,Washington,AmericanSamoa,NorthernMarianaIslands,Guam,FederatedStatesofMicronesia,Rep.ofMarshallIslands,Rep.ofPalau.4Donotusethisemailaddressforgeneralinquiries.
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Selection and Testing
SelectionofthetopprojectswillbeginonSeptember4th,2017andwinningapplicantswillbecontactedviaemailbyNovember10th,2017tofinalizeanycontracts.Anadditionalpitchpresentationmayberequiredforasubsetofapplicantsintheabovetimeframeshouldthereviewteamdeemthisnecessarytomakeselections.Aminimumofonebusinessdaynoticewillbegiveforpitchpresentations.
Disclaimers
Workiscontingentuponavailabilityoffunding,eligibility,andlegalrequirements.
LaboratoryR&DandtestingiscontingentuponsafetyreviewbyACEPstaffandapprovalbyUniversityofAlaskaFairbanksEnvironmentalHealthandSafetyandRiskManagement.
AllpersonspresentinthelaboratoryduringR&DandtestingarerequiredtoprovidetheirownPPEinaccordancewithgeneralandspecificlaboratoryrules.
AwardswillbemadeunderaMasterAgreementissuedbytheUniversityofAlaskaFairbanks.Thismasteragreementwillincludetimelines,servicesprovided,scopeofwork,andtimeandmatching/in-kindbudget(seeAgreementbetweenUAF/ACEPandAwardeeforgeneralterms).TheMasterAgreementforeachawardeewilldetermineIPownership,theworktobecompleted,andthemethodofcollaboration.
Successfulapplicantsarerequiredtoaccepttermsandconditionsprovidedintheawardcontract.Thesetermsarenotnegotiable.
AllfundsawardedwillbespentatACEP.Awardswillnotbemadeincashoractualmonetaryfunding,butinformofR&Dman-hoursorlaboratorytime.