Intel invests $10m in energy efficiency technologies

Sharon

Sharon Gill

---

3rd August 2009

The deals include a first-time investment in US-based CPower as well as follow-on investments in Ireland-based Powervation, and US-based companies Convey Computer, Grid Net and iControl.

"These investments share synergies focused on accelerating adoption of Smart Grid technologies, fostering energy efficiency and performance in ways that benefit consumers of electricity and power utilities as well as complement Intel's strategic objectives," said Steve Eichenlaub, managing director of platform technologies, clean-tech & digital health at Intel Capital.

Details on the five new investments include:

New York-based CPower delivers targeted energy management services and solutions that enable companies to optimise their facilities and operations through energy reduction initiatives and earn market payments for those reductions. The industry pioneer has become one of the biggest energy management and demand response firms in North America.

Limerick, Ireland-based Powervation provides digital power controllers for server, desktop computing and communications platforms that deliver capabilities in automatic configuration and self stabilisation. These devices speed design time and enable system stability as other power supply components age, leading to higher energy efficiency at the system level, faster time-to-market and lower overall system costs.

Richardson, Texas-based Convey Computer offers high-performance computing (HPC) solutions that aim to dramatically reduce energy consumption and boost performance. Convey's HC-1 solution tightly integrates advanced existing off-the-shelf hardware (i.e. an Intel® Xeon® processor and Field Programmable Gate Arrays) with compiler technology that minimises the programming challenges that have long inhibited the potential of reconfigurable hardware.

San Francisco-based Grid Net is a pioneer in providing the network operating system and management control plane for the Smart Grid. PolicyNet, Grid Net's standards-based management platform for all networked transmission, distribution and generation smart grid devices, provides cost-effective rapid deployment and management that leverages 4G broadband networks.

Palo Alto, California-based iControl provides an IP-based platform that delivers monitored home security, remote home monitoring and home and energy management capabilities to security and broadband providers.

Intel Capital is actively seeking and structuring investments in companies that produce products and services in a ‘green' areas such as energy efficiency, alternative power generation and storage, transportation and materials, with particular emphasis in support of Intel's Open Energy Initiative, helping foster standards-based, interoperable solutions.