Green Launching Pad

Green Launching Pad seeks funding boost from state

A. Kellar — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 13:40:44 +0000

DURHAM — When Gov. Maggie Hassan cited the Green Launching Pad as a budget priority last month, it was an important sign to GLP project director Venky Venkatachalam. He believes Hassan’s support of the “innovation ecosystem for New Hampshire entrepreneurs” will help take the GLP to its next stage. Read more…

Green Business Initiative Sees Rewards, But Faces Challenges

A. Kellar — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:13:04 +0000

A taxpayer-funded eco-business program is paying off for New Hampshire. TheGreen Launching Pad at the University of New Hampshire has given grants to more than a dozen start-ups in the state. But it hasn’t awarded any new funds since last year. Read more…

Renewable Energy Entrepreneur Talks Benefits, Challenges Of Going Green In N.H.

A. Kellar — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:11:52 +0000

This week, StateImpact will be checking-in on the progress of the University of New Hampshire‘s Green Launching Pad initiative. Begun in 2010 with $1.5 million in federal stimulus money, the GLP’s goal is to provide seed money, UNH faculty business expertise, and student interns to entrepreneurs in the state’s growing green sectors. Read more…

Eco-friendly LDI Corp. poised for big year in 2013

A. Kellar — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 14:03:09 +0000

PORTSMOUTH — Eco-friendly textile manufacturer LDI Corporation had a pivotal year in 2012 and expects to do even better in 2013.

In early 2012, LDI was awarded a Green Launching Pad grant to help buy equipment and accelerate development of its green upholstery fabric products for the commercial furniture and medical markets. In November, LDI launched its first major breakthrough from its medical products division, the EnviroSorb Super Absorbent Surgical Floor Pad. Read More…

Gov.-elect Hassan praises business “success story”

A. Kellar — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 13:37:26 +0000

PORTSMOUTH — After touring Green Launching Pad success story Therma-HEXX Friday, Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan said this growing business is a prime example of the private and public sector working together. And that’s a relationship she said she wants to see strengthen and expand during her tenure.

“This is a great model of a success story,” she said. “I would like to expand the Green Launching Pad (model) to include other sectors as well, so that other businesses will thrive and lead like this one has.” Read more…

Hassan Calls For Procurement Reform

A. Kellar — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 13:36:04 +0000

Governor-elect Maggie Hassan started at UNH where she discussed green launching pad – a program that provides funding and mentoring to green start- up companies. Hassan then visited Portsmouth’s Thema-HEXX, a 2011 grant recipient that won the NH High Tech Council’s product of the year for its heating and cooling technology. There, Hassan said she hoped to reform the state’s procurement process to make it easier for local entrepreneurs to do business with the state. Read more…

Walker Wellington wins 2012 NH PUC grant

A. Kellar — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:58:29 +0000

Public Utilities Commission Announces 2012 Renewable Energy Grants

The Public Utilities Commission has awarded grant funds for seven renewable energy projects in New Hampshire. Funded by the State’s Renewable Energy Fund (REF), the grants will help fund a range of renewable energy installations, helping to reduce New Hampshire’s dependence on fossil fuels and to meet the state’s renewable energy goals.

The grants were awarded through a competitive process. The Commission issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) in February 2012, and received twenty-six applications requesting a total of nearly $7 million. Applications were evaluated and rated by a screening committee consisting of staff from the Commission, Department of Environmental Services, and the Office of Energy and Planning. Ten of the applicants were interviewed by the screening committee. The committee then passed its findings on to the three PUC Commissioners, who in turn carried out their own review process and made final decisions on all grant awards.

Walker Wellington, LLC – $100,000: Working in partnership with the city of Dover, Walker Wellington will install a turbine generator in the outfall pipe at the city’s wastewater treatment facility. Developed by Walker Wellington, the turbine is a working proto-type made in New Hampshire and specifically engineered for low head, variable flow applications, typically seen in municipal waste water treatment facilities. This demonstration project is critical for generating performance data for the technology. The unit to be installed has a capacity of up to 20 kilowatts (kW), and has the potential to be scaled into units up to 100 kW or greater in size. The turbine will generate 80 megawatt hours of electricity per year, displace the use of 1,950 gallons of fossil fuel, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 52 tons per year. Total project cost is $129,000.

Therma-HEXX Wins Product of the Year

A. Kellar — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 14:58:02 +0000

Portsmouth company takes home top honor from NH High Tech Council for creating green building products that improve heating and cooling inside and out. The temperature was just right for Portsmouth-based Therma-HEXX at the 2012 NH High Tech Council Product of the Year (POY) competition and reception held Wednesday, Nov. 14. Read more…

Green Launching Pad faces uncertain future

A. Kellar — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:01:45 +0000

DURHAM — Two years after it was launched, with fanfare and $1.5 million in federal stimulus money, the University of New Hampshire’s Green Launching Pad faces an unknown future as it works to create a new funding model.

Since its inception in February 2010, 14 companies have received Green Launching Pad funding, and more than 450 people have attended GLP seminars and events aimed at teaching companies to commercialize their green products and services. Based in Durham at UNH, the program was designed to help entrepreneurs in the green energy sector take their companies to the next level of development by leveraging grant money and a wide range of UNH assistance. Read more…

As federal dollars dry up, GLP looks to reinvent itself

A. Kellar — Fri, 04 May 2012 16:31:35 +0000

Two years after it was launched, with fanfare and $1.5 million in federal stimulus money, the University of New Hampshire’s Green Launching Pad faces an unknown future as it works to create a new funding model.