Influent | Technology in Motion

I would like to elaborate on a point that I touched on at the end of my last blog: component integration in the cleantech industry. The trend in cleantech towards innovative hardware components means that hardware companies are integrating with one another to create the best possible solution, which in turn produces the largest profit.

The benefits of integration aren’t exactly new news, but let’s put today’s cleantech hardware companies in perspective by visiting the significance of Seagate Technology. Seagate’s creation of the first hard disc completely revolutionized the computing industry. However it was their partnership with Control Data Corporation (CDC) that further propelled their success.

Seagate Technology was the first to create a hard disc to fit the 5.25-inch form factor of the PC “mini-floppy” drive, ST-506. Seagate revolutionized the amount of data that could be stored in set space. Their new technology was selected by IBM and negotiated for a large volume contract. Seagates relationship with IBM allowed them to build a powerful distribution channel. Seagate management believed that vertical integration of key components was crucial in the face of competition. This mentality spurred Seagate’s purchase of Control Data Corporation CDC’s voice-coil and disk-manufacturing patents. This gave Seagate access to a high-end server customer base and the first 5,400 drives on the market (the CDC Elite series). Seagate quickly began to leverage vertical integration across its entire product line and became a dominant force. Seagate’s vision for integration has taken them down a successful path with innovations like first palm-sized external-storage device that could hold 5 gigabytes of data and on June 2, 2008, they announced a 2.5-inch enterprise solution (Savvio 10K.3 hard drive) which consumes 70% less power than traditional 3.5-inch drives and offered 300 gigabytes of capacity.

Seagate is a prime example of a hardware company that recognized the need for integration. I think cleantech hardware companies are realizing that they would be smart to follow the same path.

What is it?

According to Neal Dikeman, creator of Cleantech Blog, “cleantech, also referred to as clean technology, and often used interchangeably with the term greentech, began in the venture capital community and has emerged as an umbrella term encompassing the invest asset class, technology, and business sectors which include clean energy, environmental, and sustainable or green, products and services”.

Nick Parker and Keith Raab, founders of the Cleantech Venture Network (now Cleantech Group), coined the term cleantech in 2002. The term has described “green and clean” technologies, particularly solar, biofuels, fuel cells, water remediation, and renewable power generation.

Where’s it headed?

I would like to suggest that a new trend is immerging in cleantech; a renewed focus on energy efficiency via hardware components for electronic devices and historical cleantech applications. These are the unsung heros of cleantech; the innovative garages that keep the big guys running. These hardware technologies are altering the landscape of cleantech, widening and redefining the definition to include all members of the supply chain.

This new momentum is being created by needs that are not being met by current solutions. According to Lee Bruno, a contributor to Venturebeat, computing density is driving server farms and other electronics to look for fan alternatives. New chips are expected to increase ten-fold in heat output over the next few years. Smaller hardware is required to do more work. A possible answer to this problem comes from a group of Purdue engineers that are designing miniature compressors and evaporators, which are critical for refrigeration systems. Their elastic membranes are made of ultra-thin sheets of a plastic called polyimide. And the plastic film is coated with a metallic layer that conducts electricity. When electricity is sent through the metal layer, the diaphragm can move back and forth to produce a pumping action researchers call “electrostatic diaphragm compression.” Development continues with this effort, but one can see that the heat problem is causing people to seek new solutions. A new standard thermal management system is needed that will create higher computing density, resulting in a greater level of efficiency from server farms to personal laptops.

Another example of a new hardware stems from the power consumption of data centers. According to Spansion CEO Bertrand Cambou, the data centers in the U.S. consume twice as much power as the collective solar footprint produces in the country. The only way to alter this statistic is to heighten the importance of energy efficiency at a product level. According to Greentech Media, Spansion wants to replace DRAM, the memory inside most servers, with a type of flash called EcoRAM. Spansion says that a data center based around the company’s flash costs 1/4th as much to operate, takes up 1/4th of the floor space and costs less than half of a traditional one because the chips use far less power and there is less need for air conditioning.

Just think if EcoRAM’s power saving product was paired with Purdue’s cooling solution. Now there’s some serious cleantech integration!

Welcome to Influent’s blog. In the coming months you will witness a firsthand account of what it is like to bring a disruptive technology to market. We will be optimizing our technology and meeting with potential customers to uncover more opportunities to enable the cleantech industry.

These events will be narrated from my perspective. Who am I? I am a member of the founding team and just as importantly what I call a ‘startup lifer’. This description is not meant to encompass my professional life, but rather my entire life. I am a member of a family that has lived and breathed startup since I was five years old. I have heard the terms prototype, business plan, venture capital and milestone since I can remember. I know what success looks like; the long hours, the ups and downs and the unparallel excitement when you finally ‘make it’. I will be recounting these elements of Influent from a unique perspective while drawing attention to major trends in the thermal management and cleantech industries.

We will also feature guest contributors, industry experts and advice from Influent’s executive team.

If this sounds interesting to you, check back for more posts.