NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY LABORATORY
Making Innovation Happen: New IN² Cohort Focuses on Advanced Energy Implementation

At Ponderosa High School in Coconino County, Arizona, students are determined to overcome obstacles on their path to graduation. Some arrive behind on credits, while others are returning to the classroom after time away. The alternative school offers more than a second chance it is an opportunity for transformation.

That is just one reason why Coconino County Schools selected Ponderosa as the focus of an advanced energy initiative through the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN²), managed by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

"Our goal at Ponderosa is to create opportunities that shift perspectives helping students see a hopeful future and discover industries they may not have considered," Ponderosa High Principal Les Hauer said. "The energy future is full of possibility, and this initiative helps us show students what's possible while preparing them to succeed."

Coconino County is one of 10 members of IN²'s latest cohort, which marked a significant milestone for the program. For the first time in its 10-year history, IN² shifted its focus from supporting startups to implementing energy technologies within established organizations.

Before pitching their projects in December 2024, participants engaged in months of preparation and education, including technology selection and impact analyses. The pitch session culminated in the cohort presenting their plans to install and use a tool or system within six months, with winners receiving a share of $750,000 in Wells Fargo funding to bring their projects to life.

"This is a monumental new direction for IN²," said IN² Program Manager Sarah Derdowski. "IN² continues to help startups move forward over the valleys of death,' but now we also get to support the implementation of innovative technologies and make real progress in building a resilient, adaptable future."

The participants in the cohort are:

• Avangrid
• Coconino County
• CBRE
• Digital Realty
• Galvanize Real Estate (GRE)
• Intermountain Health
• Prime Data Centers
• Schneider Electric
• Southern Company
• University of Colorado Boulder.

Although some cohort members are large companies, they face unique barriers where IN²'s support is invaluable. During pitch day, one of the presenters made the problem plain: Even large, well-funded organizations may find resistance to innovative technologies if they might compromise profitability.

"Pursuing new technologies is often seen as a cost and business risk for any size organization," said Howard Branz, director of science and impact for Galvanize Climate Solutions. "At GRE, our scientists and investors work together to mitigate these risks by piloting technologies in real-world settings where we can test and prove their performance, ensuring that increasing profitability and meeting our metrics go hand-in-hand. The IN² award allows us to further accelerate the deployment of cutting-edge building technology solutions, advancing our goals."

Coconino County's Teaching Moment

Coconino County's ambitious vision stood out among the pitches in early December with its goal of reducing the district's energy consumption by 40% while creating a replicable school model for the region.

"We hope to transform our local schools by serving as a demonstration site for retrofitting and energy practices," Superintendent Cheryl Mango-Paget said.

Ponderosa High School, located near the Grand Canyon, has about 70 students. The district identified heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) as the best opportunity because it could have the greatest impact. The district's aging air conditioning units are due for replacement, and the hope is that Ponderosa can serve as a blueprint for surrounding schools.

To achieve that, Coconino County would integrate three technologies in one building. Blue Frontier, a company that graduated from IN² several years ago, will install a new AC unit that uses liquid desiccant technology developed by NREL. Rensair will improve air quality. And Komfort will address energy through lighting. The single Blue Frontier unit could replace up to 18 AC units already on the building. Estimates done during IN² show the new systems, at minimum, could cut utility costs by 50%.

"This partnership with NREL and IN² is a powerful teaching tool," Hauer said. "We're giving students a hands-on experience beyond the classroom by letting them observe the installation process."

While the students will not install the systems themselves, they will learn from the process and gain insight into future job opportunities in the HVAC and advanced energy industries.

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