Keeling Curve

Primary Project Category:

Project Summary / Description:

Barrow Green is an outgrowth of the Defense Innovation Accelerator, a program sponsored by the DoD‚ National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), designed to facilitate the development and deployment of technologies arising from DoD laboratories. Barrow Green subsequently participated in a second NSIN accelerator, NSIN Vector, a program for alumni of prior NSIN programs. Based on a referral from NSIN, Barrow Green is also currently participating in the MassChallenge Blue Tech Sprint, a program with a focus on climate change. We bring together a strong mix of leadership skills, business acumen and scientific expertise. Barrow Green was formed in October 2020, entered a CRADA with the Army Research Laboratory in May 2021, and received a Phase I SBIR award from the Army in September 2022.

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How Project Affects Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions:

Replaces/avoids GHGs (e.g., projects that replace sources of GHGs, such as the burning of fossil fuels for electricity, heat, transport, or other energy uses), Reduces GHGs (e.g., projects that reduce sources of GHGs, such as through efficiency or other changes in consumption)

Best Estimate of GHG Avoidance/Reduction of This Project (Tonnes CO2 Equivalent/Year):

Impact on Underrepresented Groups:

Barrow Green‚ energy-efficient cooling technology is ideal for assisting first responders, providing cooling for individual use in indoor and outdoor environments, and providing relief when conventional air conditioning is not available. The energy efficiency of our technology will be 2X to 3X more energy efficient than vapor compression cooling systems and 3X to 8X more energy efficient than solid-state thermoelectric cooling systems.

The energy efficiency of Barrow Green‚ technology will reduce cooling operating costs, which will be of particular benefit to struggling, low-income households that currently cannot afford to operate air conditioning as often as necessary. In addition, Barrow Green‚ cooling units will cost significantly less than vapor compression cooling units since Barrow Green‚ cooling units will not require compressors or high-pressure tubing. The reduction in cooling unit purchase price will also be of particular benefit to struggling, low-income households.

Our energy-efficiency and extended battery life make it practicable to incorporate cooling units into light-weight battery-powered vests or jackets that would be suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. This enables a reduction in energy usage, and a corresponding reduction in cooling costs, compared to conventional air conditioning, since it is much more efficient and much less expensive to cool the individual occupants of a building than it is to cool the entire structure.

Our technology can provide air conditioning for an extended period when conventional air conditioning is not available (for example, in the aftermath of a hurricane) which will increase increase disaster resiliency for climate vulnerable communities.

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Mission Statement:

Barrow Green is a Maryland limited liability company developing an energy-efficient hydrofluorocarbon-free elastocaloric cooling technology invented at the Army Research Laboratory (ARL). We have entered a CRADA with ARL. We have also been awarded a Phase I SBIR from the Army pursuant to the Army‚ xTechSBIR Clean Tech competition.

Everyone on our team resides in, or is in the process of moving to, the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Substantially all development of our technology will take place in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Our technology can be used for both small-scale and large-scale cooling and refrigeration applications, and the use of our technology is not limited to specific regions.