The Blog

Volunteer teams solve energy reliability, efficiency and communication challenges for critical community services  BRITEhack 2020 is a civic energy hackathon that took place on January 31st at BRITE headquarters on Courthouse Square in Downtown Warren. A hackathon is an efficient, low risk way to encourage innovation, catalyze startups and engage talent. In 2018, BRITE partnered with the City of Warren’s Wastewater Department to tackle their energy issues. The winning team’s proposal resulted in more than $400,000 of cost savings for the City of Warren.   This year, engineers, developers, designers, students and other disciplines gathered around two problem statements. The first problem statement is that Warren’s St. Joseph’s Hospital is burdened by the challenge of energy costs, reliability and disruption. Management seeks creative solutions for the hospital to reduce reliance on the grid and optimize efficiency. The second problem statement is that the Trumbull Metropolitan Housing Authority incurs large expenses from burst pipes when residents move out without notifying TMHA. The organization asks for the design of …

Written for Nonprofit Leadership Course at Youngstown State University  Thoughts on incubators and startups from a President & CEO A bit about the organization, and the author – BRITE Energy Innovators, previously known as TBEIC, is a nonprofit business incubator that specializes in energy and technology firms. BRITE is the only energy-focused incubator in the state of Ohio, serving energy and technology startup companies to help launch their products as a collaborative networking platform. BRITE offers office, event and co-working space, a complete lab facility (BRITE Energy Labs) for the development and testing of energy storage (batteries) and IoT (the internet of things) solutions, and the support of a community including businesses and other entrepreneurs. Its mission is to encourage innovation in Warren and around the state in order to create jobs and cultivate a stronger economy. I was first introduced to BRITE at a conference called ESBE (Energy Storage and Business …

Combines Honeywell advanced fire detection technology and Li-ion Tamer lithium-ion gas detection solutions to provide enhanced safety for battery systems ATLANTA – Feb. 11, 2020 – Honeywell (NYSE: HON), a global leader in fire and life safety, and Nexceris, developer of Li-ion Tamer® lithium-ion gas detection solutions, announced the formation of a strategic alliance to address lithium-ion battery system safety. The partnership builds on Honeywell’s industry-leading fire portfolio. Honeywell will enhance its advanced detection technology with Li-ion Tamer’s products. This will give customers early warning capability of potential battery failure and the ability to mitigate or avoid the effects of the failure. “Lithium-ion batteries offer great potential to many industries, as well as a more environmentally conscious energy source, but can also pose a significant risk if proper protection elements aren’t appropriately in place. Adding Li-ion Tamer solutions to our advanced detection product offerings through this partnership allows us to offer customers industry …