Four years ago, John Williamson and Amy Suarez decided to capitalize on a potential opportunity in solar energy.
Their company, called KiloNewton LLC, created software to optimize the positioning of solar equipment. The end result minimizes or eliminates land grading, and reduces the cost of materials.
Level, flat land is prime time for solar panels. However, they can also be placed on sloped terrain, where land grading and steel foundations can raise panels off the ground. KiloNewton's site layout software uses three dimensions to conform to undulations in the land. While grading and steel may still be required, KiloNewton's software is meant to help limit the use of both, saving money on construction.
For now, the company is preparing to make its software, dubbed SolarSpace, available to the public. The software will be rolled out for the commercial market this summer after advancing in the U.S. Department of Energy's American-Made Solar Prize contest.
The program was announced in January 2018 and mean to spur the development of innovative solar solutions. KiloNewton was accepted into the program last year, according to Suarez.
The DOE announced on April 22 that KiloNewton was one of 10 finalists in the software category. Ten other finalists were named in a separate hardware category.
So far, KiloNewton has won $90,000 and has a chance to win an additional $200,000 if it's named one of the top two participants in the software category, according to Williamson.
Suarez said the winners will be announced on the final day of the RE+ clean energy conference, slated for Sept. 19 through Sept. 22 in Anaheim, California.
KiloNewton was incorporated in 2017 following Williamson’s stint at Albuquerque solar tracker manufacturer Array Technologies, where he worked as executive chief engineer. Suarez oversees operations like hiring, billing and accounting. She told Business First that she has 10 years of experience managing small businesses, including record stores.
KiloNewton has an office at 610 Gold Ave. SW in Downtown Albuquerque and has a dozen employees.
"One of my main goals for the company is to hire a diversified team focusing on hiring specifically New Mexicans," Suarez said. "We really are trying to stop the brain drain by keeping people here that are educated here."
