Wilson Announces Fed Funds for Tech
Commercialization
by Alb. Company
$1 million appropriated to further develop radioisotope power
cell
Albuquerque, NM – Congresswoman Heather Wilson today announced
that Albuquerque-company Qynergy Corporation will receive $1 million
in 2005 funding to complete technology development efforts needed
for a new class of compact long life power cells. The funding was
included in the Defense Appropriations legislation passed by Congress
in July 2004. Wilson, who requested the funding for this project,
received an update on the project today.
We must provide our men and women in uniform the best technology
available,” says Wilson. “Albuquerque and New Mexico
are prime sources of the technology that supports our national
defense, both from private and public sector endeavors. Many devices
for national security uses need power. And sometimes they need
power for longer periods than conventional batteries can provide.
That’s the promise of Qynergy.”
The technology can generate small amounts of electricity for months
or years, providing critical defense and intelligence capabilities
that otherwise do not exist today. Qynergy recently achieved a
significant milestone in their QynCell ™ betavoltaic power
cell technology development, laying a foundation for the engineering
of several product concepts. Customers and prospective users of
the QynCells™ are working with Qynergy to define product
specifications for several national security applications. The
funding to continue to develop advanced radioisotope power cell
technology will be managed by the Space Vehicle Directorate of
the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL/VS), Kirtland AFB, New
Mexico.
In late 2004, Qynergy technical team achieved electrical power
output with the highest beta energy isotope ever used in betavoltaic
demonstrations. Using their proprietary device design and a high
energy beta- isotope, the team measured electrical current and
voltage that very closely matched their models. Betavoltaic power
generation is similar to solar or photovoltaic power generation,
but uses radioisotopes instead of the sunlight as the energy source.
Beta isotopes are well suited for energy cells because they are
easier to shield and contain than alpha or gamma radiation. The
amount of power that can be generated is determined by the energy
of the isotopes used.
“This is the first example that we are aware of in which
a high energy beta radioisotope has been used to generate useful
amounts of electricity” said Michael Hollis, CEO and President
of Qynergy.
The 2005 funding which Congresswoman made possible, will allow
Qynergy to complete development work needed before building prototype
devices for specific government applications. Work has already
begun to integrate the QynCells™ with lithium ion batteries
and advanced super capacitors to provide the burst power that is
needed to extend the life of small military sensors and transmitters.
Hollis says that, “Because of our drive towards products,
we have advanced the betavoltaic concept that has been in research
laboratories for over 20 years. We are excited that we are on the
brink of providing our customers with a new and enabling energy
capability.”
Qynergy is working to develop a radioisotope supply chain, and
will continue its outsourcing strategy, leveraging the excellent
resources and facilities that already exist locally and out of
state. Qynergy outsourced over $200,000 of technical and administrative
services to local facilities and service providers over the past
two years, and expects to continue local spending of over $2 million
annually. The company recently moved into a 3,100 square foot office
and laboratory facility, and is positioned to further expand and
ramp up for production of their power cells. Qynergy will add 4
full time employees in 2005, and will reach 22 employees in 2006.
Future growth prospects also include the development of new technologies
that can be powered by QynCells™
The Qynergy Corporation, founded in 2001 and based in Albuquerque,
New Mexico, is a high technology company with core competencies
in semiconductors, energy systems and microelectronics. Qynergy
is the developer of the radioisotope fueled “QynCell™” micro
power technology and associated products. For more information,
see www.qynergy.com
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