Stony Brook, NY - November 13th, 2013 - Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced that ThermoLift, a Stony Brook-based company working to develop a new technology to efficiently heat and cool buildings, will expand its operations at the Advanced Energy Center, further solidifying the business incubator as a hub of research and technological innovation. The expansion, enabled by a $482,000 grant from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), builds on the state’s vision to create innovation-higher education consortiums across the state and invest in State University of New York (SUNY) campuses as drivers of local job creation.
“To prepare our students for the 21st century economy, our universities must be more than just academic institutions but also hubs of entrepreneurship, innovation, and research,” Governor Cuomo said. “New York State has pioneered this new approach to higher education and economic development, beginning with the NYSUNY2020 Challenge Grant program, and demonstrated by our work to invest in nanotechnology research and development, and the launch of the START-UP NY program to attract new start-up businesses to SUNY campuses. The Advanced Energy Center here in Stony Brook is a model of entrepreneurship successfully partnering with higher education, and the state is pleased to be investing in ThermoLift’s work to improve energy efficiency in our homes and businesses.”
ThermoLift is developing a natural gas driven heat-pump/air conditioner/water heater with the intent of replacing current HVAC and Domestic Hot Water systems in residential and commercial buildings. This design uses the chemical energy stored in natural gas, along with “renewable” thermal energy from the surrounding environment for significant energy efficiency improvements. ThermoLift anticipates producing a 20 kW unit capable of satisfying the HVAC and DHW demands of an average U.S. home.
TheromLift is one of 19 projects receiving NYSERDA funding. The award is part of the second of six rounds of funding under the Advanced Buildings Program, which will provide a total of $25 million over the next three years. NYSERDA is partnering with manufacturers, research scientists, building owners and property managers interested in developing and applying new and emerging energy-efficient technologies that offer improved energy and environmental performance.
John B. Rhodes, President and CEO, NYSERDA, said, “Innovative projects like that of ThermoLift demonstrate the continued investment the state is making to expand its clean energy economy under Governor Cuomo. This project highlights the importance that public-private partnerships across the state are having in developing the cleantech innovation chain. These collaborative efforts are helping the state achieve greater energy efficiency through new technologies while at the same time reducing its carbon footprint.”