ThermoVerse and Expanding Frontiers have made strides in energy innovation by securing wins in Phase 2 of the Department of Energy's American-Made Lab MATCH Prize, a competition designed to accelerate commercialization of national laboratory technologies.
ThermoVerse , a startup founded by Shantonio Birch, has taken a step forward with its win in Phase 2 of the Department of Energy's Office of Technology Transitions' American-Made Lab MATCH Prize. Partnering with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Birch's company is developing thermal energy storage-based transactive energy management systems, a technology with the potential to shift and shed thermal load from heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC, by 40% or more, which addresses new Building Performance Standards.
Expanding Frontiers also secured a Phase 2 win for an innovative carbon capture technology developed by ORNL's Kashif Nawaz, a staff scientist and section head for building technologies research. The cooling tower-based system captures carbon dioxide using existing building infrastructure. This method reduces greenhouse gas emissions by absorbing CO2 into a liquid medium, which can then be used for other products. The technology is cost-efficient, adaptable across various building types, and enhances heat management using waste heat, making it a sustainable solution for reducing emissions in commercial buildings, industrial plants and power generation facilities.
The Lab MATCH - Laboratory Making Advanced Technology Commercialization Harmonized - Prize is a three-phase competition, which fast-tracks clean energy innovation through prizes, training, mentoring and cross-sector collaboration. As Phase 2 winners, both companies will receive $50,000 in funding toward commercialization.
ThermoVerse's work focuses on integrating distributed energy resources such as electric vehicles, solar power and other sustainable technologies into the grid while managing thermal loads in buildings. Birch, an alumnus of the National GEM Consortium and a fellow in Innovation Crossroads Cohort 2023, has been collaborating with ORNL scientists to commercialize his startup's proprietary technology known as LATCHES, or large-area transactive cooling, heating and energy storage.
"Winning Phase 2 is not only a win for ThermoVerse, but also for energy equity," Birch said.
Our success is rooted in leveraging the lived experiences of our employees to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: how to integrate more EVs and renewables into our aging electric grid while maintaining energy affordability.
In partnership with ORNL building technologies research staff scientists Kyle Gluesenkamp and Som Shrestha, Birch has made strides in advancing the LATCHES technology. The system is designed to support the grid by reducing the infrastructure required to manage building energy demands and integrating renewable energy solutions without exacerbating inequalities in energy access. Birch and his team envision ThermoVerse playing a vital role in transforming how energy is stored and utilized in buildings, particularly multifamily units and commercial spaces.
"Our success is rooted in leveraging the lived experiences of our employees to address one of the most pressing issues of our time: how to integrate more EVs and renewables into our aging electric grid while maintaining energy affordability," Birch said.
Expanding Frontiers is a nonprofit business accelerator that provides educational experiences and training for students, veterans and aspiring entrepreneurs with a goal of creating an innovation ecosystem in Brownsville, Texas.
The Lab MATCH projects are supported by Susan Ochs, engagement program manager at ORNL's Technology Transfer Office, and Andreana Leskovjan, senior commercialization manager.
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for DOE's Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. DOE's Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit energy.gov/science . - Neil Gillette
