Meeting with China EPRI

C-EPRI is the research arm of China State Grid, focused on HVDC equipment. They are interested in using Ballistic Breakers for multi-terminal HVDC.

I am about to receive initial funding for building a Ballistic Breaker prototype

I am determined to over-deliver on the MassCEC grant. I intend to do preliminary experiments with junk electrical equipment; my goal is to demonstrate prototype circuit breakers at several power levels, rather than the one single power level that I promised as a deliverable for the grant. This preliminary scoping can be done for very low cost and will help avoid any serious problems later with the design. I have a "skunkworks" location in mind...confidential for now.

Successful time at TechConnect 2012

I was pleased to make several important connections at the TechConnect conference (my presentation and poster session were on June21). These contacts include folks from Toshiba and the Max Plank Institute. among others. Perhaps the most exciting development was that I met with Google Ventures while I was out West. Google is unique among VCs in that they wanted to hear about both Ballistic Breakers and elpipes (which I have essentially given up on in the US).

My hosts during my stay were Tim and Danielle, who I met on CouchSurfing.org, shown here with one of their rats:

Official Announcement of Mass Clean Energy Center Catalyst Grant Recipients

It is clear from this MassCEC press release that the seven grant recipients were well chosen, and are all promising technologies. I am very grateful to MassCEC for providing my first external funding.

Presentation to the International Symposium on Electrical Insulation 2012

My co-authored paper with Clay Taylor of MSU "Determination of Optimum Resistor Sequence in a Ballistic Breaker" will be presented today by Clayborne Taylor, Junior of Mississippi State University (MSU). I was not able to attend this conference myself, and I am very thankful to Clay for traveling to Puerto Rico to make this presentation.

Ballistic Breaker Corp selected to receive a Mass Clean Energy Center Grant

This grant will be my first funding since starting down this road in late 2008. My process started with filing two NYSERDA grant applications and a Round #1 ARPA-E concept paper, then I organized Electric Pipeline Corporation to pursue the elpipe concept in MIT Enterprise Forum's "Ignite Clean Energy" business plan competition (ICE has since joined with the CleanTech Open). Eventually it became clear to me that elpipes (my original concept) are too big to be venture fundable...then I invented Ballistic Breakers in October 2010 and have since pursued development of Ballistic Breaker Corporation as a vehicle to move DC power transmission forward (and to make money & create jobs), as a participant in both the CleanTech Open and MassChallenge in 2011. The initial applications I am pursuing for Ballistic Breakers are in the medium voltage DC (MVDC) area. I am very grateful to Comprehensive Power of Marlborough MA and especially to Frank Jones, President and Founder, for all his support getting to this point. This grant is directed to address a specific Comprehensive Power application involving protection of a large electronic drive for a variable speed motor, similar to that shown in the photograph below. Comprehensive Power will test our prototypes and provide helpful feedback. I believe that Comprehensive Power's participation was instrumental in the success of my proposal, as were the drawings I received from Robert DaSilva of XCraft, Inc., for inclusion in my application and my final presentation May 17, 2012; as shown below. Both Frank Jones and Robert DaSilva will be participants in the execution of this grant.

 In this picture, Roger Faulkner is on the left, Frank Jones (President and CEO of Comprehensive Power) is on the right. We are standing in front of Comprehensive Power's Dynamometer test stand, which is set up here to test >2MW permanent magnet motors (they are tested against one another; one is the motor, the other is the generator). The 1200 volt, 1200 amp Ballistic Breaker I am developing for Comprehensive Power will fit in one of the standard 200X200X800 mm slide-in racks that are behind us in this picture.

email telling me of the award:
 From: "Bernier, Michele" <mbernier@umassp.edu>

To: "roger@elpipe.com" <roger@elpipe.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2012 10:57 AM
Subject: MassCEC Award status: Ballistic Breaker Corporation

Dear Roger,

The MassCEC and MTTC have reached a decision regarding the MassCEC Catalyst Awards.

You have been selected by our reviewers to receive the award of $40,000 for your proposal titled, “Demonstration of Ballistic Breaker™ for 1200 volt, 1200 amp service". Congratulations!
<snip>

Thank you and congratulations!!

Michele 

Michele Bernier, M.B.A. 

Commercialization Programs Manager

University of Massachusetts

Office of the President

Suite 400

333 South Street

Shrewsbury, MA 01545

Ballistic Breaker Corp will present at TechConnect World Conference 2012

I will be among 60 innovative early stage companies selected to present at TechConnect World Conference 2012 in Santa Clara. This year, the TechConnect Conference will be co-located with the CleanTech Open National Conference, so I have a double invitation (since I am a 2011 CleanTech Open Alumnus as well).