CHELMSFORD, Mass., Aug. 25, 2009 — Millennial Net has joined the MIT Energy Initiative (MITEI), which is designed to promote basic and applied research into technology to "transform the global energy system to meet the needs of the future." Millennial Net is an affiliate member of the program that is a critical link in the energy innovation chain that pairs MIT's research teams with innovators in industry.
Millennial Net is a sponsor of the MIT Undergraduate Research Opportunities Project (UROP) program that will support students to conduct energy research in a faculty member's lab. Research studies can range from buildings and urban design to industrial processes to global climate change.
Dr. Sokwoo Rhee, Millennial Net's co-founder and chief technology officer, observed, "This is a key role for us in industry in order to bring the best creative minds of academia together with industry professionals to focus on current energy problems. We see the need to move ahead with practical applications of technology we have been creating during the past few years – like Wireless Mesh Networking – for the vital work to be done in energy generation, conservation and developing the smart grid."
Melanie A. Kenderdine, associate director for Strategic Planning of MITEI, observed, "We at MITEI are pleased to welcome Millennial Net as an affiliate member and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship. Our members provide valuable support and insights by teaming up with the creative researchers and MIT Energy Fellows."
According to US Department of Energy statistics(1), buildings consume 40% of all energy and 73% of electricity consumption in the US; 80% of building electricity usage is for core infrastructure such as lighting, HVAC and refrigeration. Reducing this is vitally important. Research leads to innovations and practical solutions. For example, today it is possible to retrofit existing buildings with sensor and control devices that tune a building's operations, using technology such as wireless mesh sensor networks, which emerged from research at MIT and other universities.
The importance of energy research as a major initiative for the US was underscored by Dr. Steven Chu, Secretary of the US Department of Energy and the co-winner of the 1997 Nobel Prize for Physics, when he delivered the prestigious Compton Lecture at MIT on May 12, 2009. His presentation was entitled "The Energy Problem and The Interplay Between Basic and Applied Research"(2). Citing the strategic need for research on several fronts, he described the application of technology to building retrofits as truly low-hanging fruit.
Mark O'Hearne, Millennial Net vice president of Business Development and Marketing, commented, "We are answering Dr. Chu's call for applying technology to improve the efficiency of existing buildings. In the emerging age of going green and smart energy consumption, commercial and industrial businesses are seeking ways to eliminate energy waste and become more responsive to a dynamic energy market. Wireless mesh sensor networks are recognized as an enabling technology for enhancing building energy conservation and initiatives like the smart grid."
Reducing energy waste cuts carbon emissions. Millennial Net provides energy management solutions that monitor and control energy consumption to improve efficiency and reduce waste in buildings. It combines Internet and wireless mesh sensor network technologies for a non-invasive and affordable means to retrofit existing buildings. The key is to help companies align energy consumption and costs with business priorities. Companies need to better understand how energy consumption relates to their business, to drive operational changes and for more effective investments to upgrade buildings and equipment.
For more information, refer to:
Ref:
(1)
(2) http://techtv.mit.edu/videos/2817-dr-steven-chu-us-secretary-of-energy—compton-lecture
About MIT Energy Initiative
MITEI is an MIT Institute-wide initiative designed to help transform the global energy system to meet the challenges of the future. The MIT Energy Initiative includes research, education, campus energy management and outreach activities, and an interdisciplinary approach that covers all areas of energy supply and demand, security, and environmental impact.
Through its research program, MITEI addresses a critical link in the energy innovation chain – the pairing of MIT's world-class research teams with the best in industry who will be responsible for moving the products of this collaboration into the energy marketplace. The structure of MITEI supports research that addresses key industrial concerns, including the development through basic research of enabling energy technologies that have the potential to address multiple energy challenges; the delivery of energy products and services at scale; and the provision of energy products and services in highly complex policy, legal and regulatory environments.
About Millennial Net
Millennial Net, Inc. manufactures wireless energy management solutions designed for commercial and public buildings. The company's MeshScape Energy Management System consists of a wireless sensor network combined with Internet technologies to provide remote monitoring and control of buildings' heating, ventilation and air-conditioning ("HVAC") systems, lighting and other devices, allowing building owners and operators to reduce energy consumption. The company's core MeshScape technology is the only wireless sensor networking solution available today that supports the unique requirements of both large and small buildings and overcomes critical challenges traditionally associated with wireless sensor networks. Millennial Net is a leading worldwide provider of commercial and industrial wireless networking systems and products for the energy management and automation markets that enable users, OEMs and systems integrators to quickly and cost-effectively implement wireless monitoring and control applications. Millennial Net is headquartered in Chelmsford, MA and owned by PHC Holding, GmbH (PHC). PHC is a privately held company headquartered in Esslingen, Germany.
Contacts:
Marketing and Press Contact:
Mark O'Hearne
VP Business Development & Marketing
Millennial Net
+1 978-569-1949
Email
Research Contact:
Sokwoo Rhee
Founder & CTO
Millennial Net
+1 978-569-1933
Email
Millennial Net, Inc.
285 Billerica Rd
Chelmsford, MA 01824 USA
Tel: +1 978-569-1921
Fax: +1 781-723-7774
Web: http://www.millennialnet.com
Email: Email
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