TechConnect Innovation Tracking: DERP Tech, a TechConnect Accelerator participant-Santa Clara, CA, 2012
DERP Tech’s patent pending device and corresponding business models offer a new bridge between the Legacy Grid and the Smart Grid. DERP is an acronym for Distributed Electrical Renewable Power. With a focus on grid reliability and power continuity, DERP aims to allow greater flexibility for behind the meter generation of clean power close to critical loads.
“Power continuity at the local community level is becoming increasingly critical, especially where there are frequent storms and decreasing capacity of the Grid,” said Rebecca Rush, managing partner for DERP TECH. “
DERP TECH founder Rick Lank tells TechConnect News, “The mission of our company is to increase the Distributed Generation of clean renewable electricity and its infusion into local electricity distribution networks through sub station-level interconnectivity.
Rick Lank, project manager of the DERP Power Continuity Unit project, sees leadership in Connecticut, where the State is dedicating serious resources to create micro-grids and to help the process of developing new interconnection devices. “Thanks to our mentor in the Utility Technology Challenge and TechConnect 2012, North East Utilities (parent of Connecticut Light and Power), we were introduced to the State of Connecticut’s cutting edge program to aggressively create new micro-grid technologies. As a result, we have responded to the RFI issued by the State and we have plans to have a colleague be at the next meeting of stakeholders being held in Connecticut next week (weather permitting).”
Since presenting at TechConnect World in Santa Clara in June, DERP Tech has had a number of follow up discussions with large corporations, and was also selected as a finalist in the 2012 Utility Technology Challenge (UTC).
“Participating in the UTC helped to galvanize the interest in our DERP model and its applications just days before the straight-line storms hit the mid-Atlantic area and caused Maryland’s Governor to issue an Executive Order that demanded new recommendations to improve the State’s electrical infrastructure. The severe weather and the black-outs have heightened the interest in DG and micro-grids in several northeastern states. Being a finalist in the UTC competition no doubt helped us be in a stronger position to respond to these changing environmental and political circumstances.”
For more information about the company, visit http://derptech.net/.
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