MTECH Laboratories receives NSF award
July 2010 - MTECH Laboratories, LLC has been awarded a $150,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to demonstrate the feasibility of its novel, high-efficiency energy distribution system for large buildings.

MTECH will use the award to conduct joint research with the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering’s (CNSE) Energy and Environmental Technology Applications Center (E2TAC) and EYP/energy, a division of EYP Architecture and Engineering, to advance its distribution technologies for use in a variety of locations – including semiconductor manufacturing facilities, hospitals and large data centers – where high power consumption and cooling are becoming major issues.

Dr. Michael J. Hennessy, President of MTECH, said, "We are pleased to receive this funding through the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research program. This partnership will leverage the . technological capabilities of CNSE’s E2TAC and the design expertise of EYP/energy to assist MTECH Laboratories in rapidly developing and commercializing its next-generation technology."

Dr. Pradeep Haldar, CNSE Professor and Head of Nanoengineering and Director of CNSE’s E2TAC, said, "We look forward to working with MTECH Laboratories and EYP/energy to accelerate the development and deployment of MTECH’s innovative technology for improved efficiency in energy distribution. This partnership is particularly important given the increased complexity in design and operation of high-tech buildings, and the growing need to integrate the use of clean and renewable sources of energy."

The distribution system is a DC-based system utilizing superconductors and cryogenic power conversion devices. For the past decade, MTECH has pioneered development of ultra-efficient power converters for military and aerospace applications. These devices convert power from DC sources such as solar cells, fuel cells and batteries to conventional 60-Hz AC power.