91视频

The third annual Pacific Northwest Awards Expo for the Cleantech Open is scheduled for Oct. 5. At the ceremony, finalists will be named for the national business competition. The event will take place from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center in Seattle. Tickets cost $65.

Following is a look at four of the region’s semifinalists.

MountainLogic

This startup, which has offices in Portland and Seattle, is rolling out a wireless system that transforms the way homeowners control their heating and cooling systems.

The 鈥淢ountainWise鈥� system features wireless temperature sensors to measure the temperature of separate rooms. A wireless master unit then uses computer algorithms to identify the rhythm of each home and ultimately predict desired temperatures.

The system is predicted to reduce energy costs by at least 40 percent, according to CEO Scott Elliott. will be able to test that estimate thanks to a $255,500 grant from the Bonneville Power Administration.

The grant will support trials in 200 homes within the BPA’s service area. Half will serve as a control group, and receive only measurement systems to see how much energy they use for heating and cooling. The other hundred will receive the MountainWise system to identify how much it can reduce energy costs. Elliott hopes the trial will succeed in providing sufficient evidence to bring in partnerships with utilities.

The company plans to concentrate its efforts on the West Coast, primarily in California because of the state’s strong conservation incentives. The cost of the system is predicted to be approximately $1,000.

Versalence

Nancy Kroner, owner and operator of this Camas-based startup, is working to develop a low-impact, hydrokinetic turbine that is 鈥渨ater-to-grid鈥� ready.

developed a system that can generate electricity in water flowing as slowly as three miles per hour. The system involves a floating turbine, generator and grid connection system that can be mounted on a barge in river systems and tidal areas,聽or on a series of concrete pads at the foot of dams and in stable river flows.

The business is focused primarily on providing training, maintenance and testing services for the control systems in hydroelectric generating dams. Kroner said her 18 years of hydropower experience led to development of the innovation.

鈥淲e want to bring something all-encompassing to the market,鈥� she said. 鈥淎 lot of people have designed brilliant turbines, but very few have generators attached, let alone the ability to connect to the grid, which we do have.鈥�

The Cleantech Open business competition helped Kroner realize that the product isn’t quite market ready, but she hopes it will be by summer 2012. Versalence presently employs five people, including Kroner. All of them are volunteering their time, and the hydrokinetic turbine projects are entirely self-funded.

鈥淧eople feel strongly about this technology and about moving this concept forward,鈥� she said.

Three Dimensional Timberlands

This limited liability company, based in Gold Beach, is developing biomass pyrolysis facilities along Oregon’s coast. has plans for three pyrolysis plants that will use forest slash and other low-grade wood products to produce biochar and bio-oil.

The first plant will be in Curry County, the second in Coos County, and the third near Astoria. Three Dimensional Timberlands strategically planned the locations to give the plants easy access to deep-water shipping ports. That will enable the products to reach markets across the Pacific Ocean without prohibitive transportation costs.

The company was named a regional Cleantech Open semifinalist, but in May pulled out of the competition because it did not have necessary time or resources to continue, according to co-founder Chip Weinert.

GreenPrint

This company has received widespread media coverage since it started in 2005. CNN, Grist, Wall Street Journal technology columnist Walt Mossberg and many others have reviewed ‘s software, which can measure, manage and ultimately reduce printing paper waste.

鈥淥ur launch was kind of serendipitous 鈥� it was the post-鈥業nconvenient Truth’ era,鈥� said Hayden Hamilton, GreenPrint’s co-founder and CEO. 鈥淓verybody was rushing out there with a green edition of whatever magazine they were publishing, and we were kind of the perfect story.鈥�

GreenPrint has formed key partnerships with firms including Xerox and Staples, and received large orders from international businesses. The company also benefits from the simple fact that its software helps solve a problem that many people find annoying, Hayden said.

GreenPrint focused for the last 18 months on developing new analytic and management software systems, which Hayden hopes will help the company continue to break into growing markets.

The company reached the regional semifinals of the Cleantech Open, but decided to withdraw because of time constraints.