Companies Receive Awards to Accelerate Commercialization of Green Products

Awards Strengthen Central New York’s Emerging Clean Economy

New York Assemblyman William Magnarelli (D-120), along with CenterState CEO and National Grid, today announced that Central New York companies have received awards totaling $250,000 to promote the commercialization of innovative green and clean technologies. The awards were made in the seventh round of the SyracuseCoE’s Commercialization Assistance Program (CAP). The announcement was made at SyracuseCoE headquarters in downtown Syracuse.

The five CAP award-winning companies and their projects are:

• Air Innovations of North Syracuse, (www.airinnovations.com) for the commercialization of a “green” metal hydride for air conditioning.

• Cortland Research, LLC, of Homer (www.cortlandresearch.com) for the direct commercialization of the POUNCE system, an energy conservation system created by Cortland Research that provides data and autonomous control for reducing energy costs. The information and data mining provided by this system assists in the reduction of energy at the point of use and provides information for reducing heating and cooling costs.

• Healthway Home Products of Pulaski (www.healthway.com) for the commercialization of disinfecting filtration system (DFS) technology for schools, health care and LEED-certified commercial buildings.

• O’Brien & Gere of Syracuse (www.obg.com) to accelerate development of an innovative water quality monitor to detect taste and odor.

• WavElectric of Ithaca and Syracuse (www.waveelectric.com) to develop and test the first WE50 integrated wave-energy converter prototype.

Collectively, these grants are expected to create or retain approximately 100 jobs in Central New York.

“The Commercialization Assistance Program is a realistic and remarkable example of how Syracuse University can partner with fledgling companies in the community to promote commercialization of innovative green and clean technologies,” said Assemblyman Magnarelli. “Over the last 12 years, they have had significant successes in establishing local companies that strengthen our economy by supporting hundreds of jobs, generating tax revenue and creating a locally based competitive green-energy field.”

The Commercialization Assistance Program—which, over seven rounds, has awarded more than $1.75 million and has supported the growth and success of 24 upstate companies—is made possible by a grant secured by Assemblyman Magnarelli, administered through SyracuseCoE and CenterState CEO. Established in 2001, CAP grants are awarded for projects that commercialize new products and services in the fields of indoor environmental quality, water resources and clean and renewable energy—the three focus areas of the SyracuseCoE.

To date, CAP has created or retained more than 150 high-value jobs and more than $400 million in new revenue for Central Upstate New York companies. The companies that have benefited from the program can point to new products and services and, in some cases, new companies and expanded operations that are gaining a foothold in this competitive market.

“Central New York is well known throughout the state and across the country as a hotbed of innovation in clean technologies,” said Ed Bogucz, SyracuseCoE executive director. “SyracuseCoE is pleased to partner with its collaborators at CenterState CEO and National Grid in support of this initiative. We are especially grateful to Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli for his leadership and tireless commitment to the growth of our regional innovation economy and to the businesses and families in this area.”

“CAP awards support new and existing companies as they develop new products and services and support our region’s growing economy,” said Robert Simpson, president of CenterState CEO. “Together with Assemblyman Magnarelli and SyracuseCoE, we are proud to support this program and these companies as they generate new jobs and revenue for the region.”

National Grid provided $100,000 in support of the CAP program. The grants are part of National Grid’s CleanTech Incubation Program, which supports initiatives that facilitate formation of new ventures or growth of high potential small ventures and also to make buildings more marketable for the creation of new jobs in the clean tech industry and other advanced technology industry sectors.

“The growth of local businesses is vital to the ongoing development of the Central New York economy,” said Melanie Littlejohn, National Grid regional executive of Central New York. “National Grid is proud to support local companies through our CleanTech Incubation Program and connect them to key resources right here in our own backyard.”

About CenterState CEO

CenterState CEO is a regional business leadership organization, chamber of commerce and economic development strategist based in Syracuse. It represents 2,000 members of all sizes and serves as the primary business resource catalyst for development in a 12-county area. CenterState CEO is an advocate for smart business, facilitates regional growth and promotes community prosperity through results-driven partnerships, planning and problem solving.

About SyracuseCoE

SyracuseCoE is New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems. SyracuseCoE is a collaborative organization that engages more than 200 companies and institutions to accelerate innovations that address global challenges in clean and renewable energy, indoor environmental quality and water resources. Its members conduct targeted research, demonstrate new technologies, commercialize innovations and educate the workforce.

About National Grid

National Grid (LSE: NG; NYSE:NGG) is an electricity and gas company that connects consumers to energy sources through its networks. The company is at the heart of one of the greatest challenges facing our society—to create new, sustainable energy solutions for the future and developing an energy system that underpins economic prosperity in the 21st century. National Grid holds a vital position at the center of the energy system and it “joins everything up.”

National Grid delivers electricity to approximately 3.3 million customers in Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. It manages the electricity network on Long Island under an agreement with the Long Island Power Authority (LIPA), and owns over 4,000 megawatts of contracted electricity generation, providing power to over one million LIPA customers. It is the largest distributor of natural gas in northeastern United States, serving approximately 3.4 million customers in New York, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

###