Source: Hydrovolts, Press Release, November 6, 2011. NASA, USAID, The U.S. Department of State, and NIKE identified Hydrovolts for its innovative approach to society’s most pressing energy challenges.
Hydrovolts announced its selection as one of the ten innovators of LAUNCH: Energy, a competition founded by NASA, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of State and NIKE. The LAUNCH: Energy challenge identifies transformative energy innovations with the potential to revolutionize both the developed and developing world. Hydrovolts was selected for its unique and affordable “Switchblade” turbine and “Flipwing” turbine rotor that enables reliable hydroelectricity generation from canals and other managed-flow water courses.
Hydrovolts was chosen from over 200 submissions, which were reviewed by a diverse panel of experts comprised of government officials, industry leaders, researchers, and investors. The panel was tasked to identify the ten innovators who best demonstrated potential for broad impact as well as technical and financial viability. Hydrovolts will be showcased at the LAUNCH: Energy Forum which will be held at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida from November 11 to 13, 2011. The Forum is attended by the LAUNCH Council of forty experts from a variety of backgrounds.
“This is great validation for Hydrovolts, our technology and vision,” says CEO Burt Hamner. “The LAUNCH team had over 200 choices, we are very proud to be picked as one of the 10 finalists. Our company has received inquiries from 43 countries so we look forward to receiving help and guidance from LAUNCH and to explore opportunities for investment, partnership and deployment. We look forward to engaging with LAUNCH’s Founding Partners and Council who represent a diverse cross section of leadership in energy research, global development and manufacturing Through our collaboration with LAUNCH, we hope to accelerate Hydrovolt’s mission to bring global clean energy generation to the manufacturing sector, making power from water.”
About LAUNCH: NASA, USAID, U.S. Department of State, and NIKE joined together to form LAUNCH in an effort to identify, showcase and support innovative approaches to global challenges. LAUNCH searches for visionaries, whose world-class ideas, technologies or programs show great promise for making tangible impacts on society. For more information, please visit www.launch.org.