The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) has awarded $1,200,000 to MicroGen Systems Inc. to commercialize its proprietary micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) enabled vibrational energy harvesters. This grant comes on the heels of a 2009 NYSERDA investment of $300,000, which helped MicroGen create early prototypes. The start-up originally came to NY because of funding offered by Senator Charles Schumer via the Infotonics Technology Center (Canandaigua, NY).
MEMS-based vibrational energy harvesters create energy to power autonomous and wireless sensors in applications where battery power is impractical due to sensor network size or location, or the form factor desired. They can also be used to recharge batteries. MicroGen uses piezoelectic materials that generate electricity when compressed.
MicroGen, which is based in Ithica and Rochester, NY, is matching NYSERDA’s investment with already acquired outside investment, an in-progress funding round, and investment from founders and management. The sum funding will help commercialize MicroGen’s technology with initial product launches, establish partnerships, and transfer MEMS fab to a foundry. The MEMS chips are being developed at the Cornell Nanoscale Science and Technology Facility, located on the Cornell University Campus in Ithaca, with additional assistance from emc2, the Energy Materials Center at Cornell.
The grant allowed MicroGen to add 3 engineering and business professionals from the MEMS industry. By 2016, MicroGen will be running an assembly plant employing 40 people.
The MicroGen BOLT product family converts ambient vibration into electrical energy to power sensors and wireless radios used to monitor and reduce energy usage, or enable other functions, in residential, consumer, commercial, industrial, and military uses. Last year, MicroGen and Infinite Power Solutions Inc. demonstrated a complete Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) powered by their products at Sensors Expo and Tradeshow.
MicroGen systems Inc. is developing products based on its proprietary piezoelectric vibrational energy harvester (PZEH) technology to power wireless sensors and recharge mobile devices.
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