25 Teams Compete for the Allegheny Cleantech UP during Energy Week 2017!


We are excited to announce that 25 teams from universities across PA, OH, and MD have applied to compete for $50,000 in the Allegheny Region Cleantech University Prize Collegiate Competition. Learn more about the participating teams below:

• Architects Anonymous (Penn State University (PSU)) - A smartphone app and website that provides customized, location-specific, energy-saving information to homeowners and building professionals. 

• CloudPod (PSU) - A  device that harnesses moisture out of the air to provide clean, drinkable water.

• D-PowerNet (Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) - A software solution that enables the integration of battery storage with connected electric loads like electric water heaters.

• Ecophyrin (CMU) - This technology can break down biomass into sugars that can then be used to produce biofuel.

• GoGreen Sensing Technologies (Case Western Reserve University (CWRU)) - Provides state, county, and local governments with low-cost traffic-sensing technology in lower-traffic density areas to save the environment, fuel, and time. 

• Hillside Hydro (CMU) - A portable hydroelectric generator for backpacking and camping. 

• Hydro Pod (CWRU) - A small, portable hydro-power generator that can be easily installed in shallow flowing rivers, streams, and brooks. The extra energy generated from these previously untapped power sources can offset energy costs for homeowners or generate usable power for remote villages and park ranger stations.

• Kiefer (CMU) - A mobile robot that grabs waste materials in landfills through the use of sensors and then incinerates the garbage items to generate electricity for the robot.

• LnR Technologies (Ohio University)- A  multi-channel copper tube heat exchanger that's up to 30% more energy-efficient.

• Lobster TrApp (CWRU) - A sensor system added to lobster traps that alerts lobster fishermen, through an app, about traps that need to be brought in. 

• MPEL-EVtech (University of Maryland) - Electrical Vehicle technology, bi-directional, high efficiency, multi-functional EV charging system. 

• Phospholutions (PSU) - Technology used to reduce water and fertilizer usage.

• ReEmpower (U. Maryland) - Provides clean, affordable and reliable energy to customers in developing economies through the installation of renewable energy power systems.

• Retractable Wind Turbines (University of Pittsburgh (PITT)) - Tool that discovers retractable wind harvester parameters, such as harvester size and deployment/retraction speed.

• Robert Morris University (RMU) - Hybrid technology to decrease greenhouse gas emissions and increase fuel economy.

• RMU Tiny Homes (RMU)- Tiny homes that will serve as permanent or temporary housing for homeless veterans in Pennsylvania. 

• RoBotany (CMU) - Indoor vertical farming company that is transforming the industry with automated robotics and software analytics. 

• RVS Rubber Solutions (CWRU) - The team's technology is called the RVS Tech, and in short, it recycles a currently unrecyclable tire component back into its base pieces without degrading their quality. This means that using this tech we can eliminate 100 tons of rubber waste product going into landfills while also selling the high quality rubber at a fraction of the current market cost.

• SatData (CMU) - Aims at making better weather forecasts for solar and wind generation facilities by exploiting data from satellites with the help of machine learning and data mining techniques.

• SMT (CMU) - Provides the energy consumption saving and measuring solutions to clients using its advanced sensor and software.

• Stabilization Simulator (PITT) - A model for evaluating the effective implementation and cost of combination renewable and battery storage power systems to accommodate user input loads. 

• Steel City Conversion (PITT) - Focuses on the development of Gallium Nitride-based power electronic converters, designed to achieve higher voltages, efficiency, and power density in aerospace applications. 

• Teratonix (CMU) - An energy-harvesting device that can convert ambient radio-frequency radiation into useful DC power. 

• TurBinD (U. Maryland) - Frst wind-powered outdoor charging station. 

• Wastefu(e)l (CMU) - System to convert organic waste without water. 

The competition takes place Tuesday, March 28, 2017 during the Scott Institute's Energy Week and we are also looking for judges! If you're interested in judging the competition, and are from business or industry (not academia), please email Deborah Stine telling us your background and why you'd be a good judge. If you wish to attend the competition, make sure to save the date and sign up here to receive updates. You can also sign up here for volunteer opportunities.  Learn more about the competition.