Predictive maintenance reduces the total life-cycle costs of a system, ultimately reducing the cost passed on to citizens. Additionally, this technology will improve the resiliency of the grid, reducing power outages which cost the U.S. economy $150 billion annually, Cornerstone said in a recent release.
CRG sees initial market demand for its power conversion systems in rural and remote microgrids, island grids, military microgrids and hospitals.
“These initial applications will provide a real-world proving ground to mature the power conversion hardware, software, controls, and standards that will be needed to incorporate predictive health monitoring into the bulk grid of the future, which will be heavily dominated by distributed energy resources including wind, solar, and stationary storage,” the company said.
Once demonstrated, this technology could also be used in power conversion systems in electric vehicles and aircraft, Cornerstone also said.
Cornerstone performs research and manufacturing for the aerospace, defense and industrial industries.
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm recently announced a total of 259 Department of Energy grants totaling $53 million to 210 small businesses in 38 states.
The awards include projects relating to particle accelerators and fusion technology, applied nanoscience, quantum information applications, and dark matter research along with a wide range of other efforts.
“Supporting small businesses will ensure we are tapping into all of America’s talent to develop clean energy technologies that will help us tackle the climate crisis,” said Steve Binkley, acting director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Science. “DOE’s investments will enable these economic engines to optimize and commercialize their breakthroughs, while developing the next generation of science leaders and ensuring U.S. scientific and economic competitiveness that will benefit all Americans.”
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