It lives! Now that Xconomy Seattle has a full-time tech writer again (yours truly), we’re bringing back a weekly roundup to help our far-too-busy readers catch up with what’s been on our minds and percolating in the Seattle-area scene lately.

Highlights from the past week or so:

—Tippr, the Seattle-based group-deals site that emphasizes its intellectual property portfolio, made news for a pair of lawsuits it has going against competitors. A federal patent-infringement claim against both DealOn and BuyWithMe garnered focus, but there was more cloak-and-dagger in the state-court lawsuit against BuyWithMe and a former employee.

In a nutshell, Tippr’s parent company claims BuyWithMe’s founder solicited a bunch of proprietary information from a now-departed Tippr salesman who was job-hunting. A King County Superior Court judge agreed there was enough evidence on hand this month to issue an injunction against BuyWithMe to secure the information at issue. BuyWithMe answered by demanding a jury trial.

—Xconomy San Francisco’s Wade Roush weighed in with the second installment of his Seven Questions about the future of mobile. It’s a good read that gets you thinking, and is a great preview for our big Mobile Madness event next Wednesday at Microsoft’s NERD center in Cambridge, MA. Seattle-area folks from Clearwire, Swype and Ground Truth are participating in the program—keep an eye out for some interesting reports from what everyone there has to say.

— I unloaded some lingering government knowledge from my previous job at The Associated Press in a story that dissected how President Obama’s threatened ban on earmarked spending in the federal budget could affect innovation in Washington state. I was frankly impressed by the tons of cool-sounding projects and programs that were on the list of earmark requests for this fiscal year, but I had to narrow it down to 25 big items just to make it all fit.

—On the fun side, the Washington Technology Industry Association braved another threatened snowstorm to put on its annual Industry Achievement Awards. It was well-attended and a bunch of fun, even though I spent too much time hunched over my laptop. DocuSign and Isilon split Commercial Product or Service of the Year, and Swype nabbed Consumer Product or Service.

—A pair of companies with strong Seattle DNA were among the many making noise at the DEMO conference this week. Pioneer Square-headquartered PhotoRocket, helmed by Amazon and aQuantive alum Scott Lipsky, wants to be the indispensible utility for pushing photos to websites or e-mail contacts. San Francisco-based SocialEyes, with leadership from a pair of former RealNetworks Robs, is aiming for a higher-quality video chat service by blending it with the social graph on Facebook.

—On the cleantech side of things, we dropped by a Washington Clean Technology Alliance briefing with three companies focused on water: Hydrovolts, WaterTectonics, and Halosource. It was kind of a small-medium-large arrangement: Hydrovolts is a kinetic hydropower startup that’s still testing its technology and looking for big buyers, WaterTectonics is an established commercial water-cleaning company making moves in the oil sector, and Halosource is coming off last fall’s $80 million IPO

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Quite a few Seattle-area companies are tackling some ambitious projects that are all about water. I’m talking about clean drinking water, industrial water treatment, and innovative hydropower. Insights on all of that had people taking notes and asking plenty of questions at a cleantech confab Friday.

The event was organized through the Washington Clean Technology Alliance and hosted at the UBS offices in downtown Seattle. The three companies on hand each deal with a different facet of the world’s most vital resource, so you might think they don’t have much in common. But they all see big business opportunities in the years ahead.

Seattle-based Hydrovolts is headed by affable hydropower entrepreneur Burt Hamner. The company focuses on pairing next-generation hydroelectric systems with an ancient technology: canal systems.

Hydrovolts‘ products are small-scale turbines that bob below the surface in a canal or other waterway and create electricity as the water passes by.

Traditional hydropower, which the Pacific Northwest has a lot of experience with, needs dams and big reservoirs to generate enough speed in huge electric turbines.

But Hamner says his in-line turbines can now generate power from much slower flows because of recent advances in generator technology. He says that’s leading to the potential for the first broad adoption of smaller, in-stream hydropower devices.

“I can’t tell you what the growth rate is, because no one’s ever done it,” Hamner says.

Depending on the water conditions, Hydrovolts’ system can generate … Next Page »

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The Cleantech Open Pacific Northwest regional finalists, out of a pool of 15 semifinalists, were announced at NW the Cleantech Open at the Bell Harbor Conference Center yesterday. Of the participants, who have gone through months of training, consulting, and business planning in preparation for the competition, three—Seattle-based Nanocel, Beaverton, OR-based Puralytics, and Eugene, OR-based Arcimoto—were named regional finalists, while a fourth, Seattle-based Hydrovolts, was given the sustainability award for the second year in a row. Nanocel, Puralytics, and Arcimoto each won prizes worth $30,000 each, and will progress on to the national competition—the self-proclaimed “Academy Awards of Cleantech”—in San Jose, CA in November. The winner will receive a grand prize worth $250,000.

Although only four startups were declared victors, every semifinalist will benefit from the last few months of grueling competition, according to co-chair Byron McCann. Once declared a semifinalist, startups are Pacific Northwest Cleantech Open alumni for life.

“The alumni is really like the cleantech mafia—once you become an alum, you can never leave,” McCann told the crowd that had gathered to hear the winners announced. “We like to think that we’re a really nice mafia with a common goal—there are very few business competitions where sustainability is a key element in making these companies profitable.”

This is the fifth year of the national Cleantech Open business competition, and year two for the Pacific Northwest regional chapter. Already, the growing competition has over 380 alumni nationwide, who have collectively raised some $280 billion in financing, $76 million of which was collected in 2010 alone, according to McCann. These numbers, he adds, speak volumes to the market potential that startups in the cleantech space have.

“What you see at the tip of the iceberg is a business competition. We’re having a lot of fun, but below the tip of the iceberg is a lot of work,” he says. “We’re a giant virtual accelerator with the common goal of getting these companies to market.”

To read more on the competition’s semifinalists and finalists, see our preview of the NW Cleantech Open, and check out highlights from the event in our image gallery.

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Hydrovolts has scored an investment deal that looks small at first blush, but could take the cleantech startup to the next level. The Seattle-based company, which develops small hydropower turbines that generate renewable energy from small streams and canals, last week received a $250,000 investment from civil engineering firm DLZ Corp. to develop prototype turbine for the company. DLZ plans to use the 25kW hydrokinetic turbine on the 14-km Chilla Canal in northern India.

While $250,000 may sound like small potatoes for a cleantech company—or even a tech startup, for that matter—CEO Burt Hamner says this deal, the first for Hydrovolts, is a big opportunity. The investment, in fact, could lead to an estimated $20 million in product orders down the line.

“It’s a huge accomplishment for small company,” he says. “This is our first deal and our first sale, and it has potential for being $20 million. The customer is investing $250,000 to get the first machine built specifically for his application.”

The U.S.-based DLZ, which reports annual revenues of more than $100 million, recently obtained permits to develop a 10 Megawatt hydrokinetic power project on the Chilla Canal, which feeds water into a traditional hydropower plant on the Ganges River. If Hydrovolts’ prototype turbine works as planned, DLZ says it intends to order another 400 just like it (though this agreement is not binding).

Hydrovolts first appeared on our cleantech radar in May 2009, when we spoke with Hamner about his invention—the “flipwing” turbine—one that he hopes will revolutionize the industry. Hamner’s turbine, which is designed to fit in flowing waterways such as canals, rivers, and even wastewater channels, operates like a submergered paddle wheel turbine—only it’s much more efficient. Here’s how they work: Flowing water pushes each blade from the front of the turbine back, as the “paddles” go around, they flip. This simple change reduces drag, and increases the ability to harness the renewable power generated. (See the flipwing turbine in action in the video below).

The floating turbines are also easy to deploy—all you have to do is drop them in the water and tether or anchor them. The electricity generated by the turbine is then sent to shore by a power cable. And because the wheel blades turn slower than the water current, the turbines are designed to be safe for fish, who can either swim around them or through them.

The turbines are small, built in modules that can be shipped and assembled on site, and generate renewable energy from water currents at rates as slow as 1 meter per second. This, according to Hydrovolts, makes the technology an inexpensive and viable option for many man-made canals and waterways in the U.S. and abroad. It also sets them apart from the competition—and the DLZ investment is proof, Hamner says.

“There have been perhaps a dozen entrepreneurs in the last 20 years who have or actually are trying to make turbines for canals, but there is only one really significant competitor to us. It is a … Next Page »

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Seattle-based small-scale hydropower startup (and McKinstry Innovation Center resident) Hydrovolts said today that it has received a $250,000 investment from U.S.-based civil engineering firm DLZ Corp. to develop a 25 kW hydrokinetic canal turbine for the company. DLZ plans to use the prototype in a hydrokinetic power project on the 14-km Chilla Canal in northern India, which feeds water to a hydropower plant on the Ganges River. Following successful demonstration and delivery of the prototype, DLZ could potentially order an additional 400 turbines from Hydrovolts, at an estimated value of $20 million.

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Last week the Northwest Energy Angels—a group of over 45 private investors who have banded together to invest exclusively in cleantech and energy companies located here in the Pacific Northwest—held its annual Summer Showcase at Tesla Motors’ South Lake Union showroom. Founded by Seattle entrepreneur Martin Tobias and state lawmaker Jeff Morris in 2006, the angels provide early-stage capital to cleantech entrepreneurs and connect promising companies with potential investors.

So far, the group has invested more than $3 million in 17 local companies, a sign that it is active and growing—along with the Pacific Northwest cleantech sector. Back in March the Angels hired on local tech veteran Margo Shiroyama as the new executive director, and the group is recruiting new angels, hoping to bring the membership up to 60 by the end of the year.

On Friday afternoon many of the angels joined representatives from local cleantech companies, and green-minded community members at Tesla to mingle, connect, and hear updates from 11 companies that had presented at a prior NW Energy Angels event. Drinks were served in 100 percent compostable plant polymer Greenware. I would be lying if I said a few in the crowd weren’t eyeing Tesla’s bright red Roadster on display in the front of the room. (After the presentations, many signed up for test drives around the neighborhood, though I was not so lucky.) But the combination of compostable cups and fully electric cars sure did set the scene for an event on cleantech business ideas.

One of the more high profile attendees included U.S. Rep Jay Inslee, the Democrat who represents Washington’s first congressional district. Energy Angel Bill Lemon introduced Inslee as our “tireless advocate in the promotion of clean energies.” In his introductory remarks, Inslee urged the companies to develop new clean technologies and move the country and world forward toward renewable energies.

“The future of the U.S. economy is not determined at the Fed, or the White House, or the Congress. It is determined by people like you,” he said. “It is a system that is broken because it is rife with subsidies that support old technologies that have been around for the past hundred years.”

Inslee then outlined his five pillars for the future of clean energy, which he termed his “vision for America.” The steps included creating demand for new technology, increasing energy standards for machinery (including cars, buildings, and gadgets), changing the tax code to provide clean energy incentives for small businesses, increasing federal energy R&D, and leveling the playing field between clean energy businesses and industry old timers like oil and coal.

“These five pillars, I think, have the capability to get us into the international game. And it needs to happen this year—next year is a year too late,” Inslee said. “This is the most exciting thing technologically since we went to the moon,” adding that Seattle and the Pacific Northwest are poised to be cleantech leaders based on our booming regional tech industry. “When there’s a technological transition, Washington shines!” he said.

The remainder of the event was dedicated to a series of short company updates and networking among cleantechies. The presenting companies included a few more established startup success stories, as well as a handful of brand new companies fresh on the scene. Though all of the companies had been represented at prior NW Energy Angel events, many of them have escaped our radar until now. But whether you’ve heard of these startups before or not, if you’re interested in what’s up-and-coming in the Pacific Northwest cleantech sector, take a look at these highlights:

—EMME (Beaverton, OR)

Standing for Energy Management Made Easy, EMME develops energy management devices. These are monitoring gadgets for everything from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment, to wireless power monitors, and power meter breaker boxes—that helps consumers keep track of their home’s carbon footprint, and save money and energy. “It will tell you how much you’re spending on heating, cooling, your refrigerator is spending, your big screen TV,” said Jon Brodeur, the company’s vice president of sales and marketing. “And it will give you recommendations on what to do to save energy costs,” without having to change out any appliances.

—EnerG2 (Seattle, WA)

You’ve probably heard of EnerG2, a nanomaterials startup focused on energy storage. The company, which develops ultra-high performance synthetic carbon material for use in double layer capacitors, has had such success in the last few years that Lemon kicked himself for passing up an opportunity to invest. “Boy do I really, really regret it!” he said. Since that missed opportunity, EnerG2 has brought in $8.5 million in its Series A venture investment—which chief operating and financial officer Chris Wheaton joked happened during in the fall of 2008, “nearly financial Armageddon.” Later on, EnerG2 secured another $21.3 million in federal stimulus money. “It completely blew the doors off for us,” Wheaton added. “There’s nothing like success to create more success.”

—EnergySavvy (Seattle, WA)

This energy-efficiency focused startup works to help homeowners understand the “miles per gallon” of their homes by helping consumers calculate their energy use and find places they can cut back, make changes, and save both energy and money. Only an eight-person operation, according to Scott Case, the vice president of product management, EnergySavvy has had so much interest from prospective customers they have been struggling to grow fast enough to keep up. The company makes its money … Next Page »

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The Zino Society announced yesterday it has awarded its $50,000 Zino Green Fund to Seattle-based Hydrovolts, the maker of a novel underwater turbine for producing electricity in canals and waterways. Hydrovolts is led by Burt Hamner, who pitched the company at last month’s Zino Society Green Investment Forum.

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Burt Hamner, founder and CEO of the tiny Seattle startup Hydrovolts, has an idea he hopes will revolutionize the hydropower industry.

His invention, the “flip wing” turbine, is still in development. It is a simple and cheap spin on the paddle wheel, but comes with a twist that boosts its power production. The turbine is designed to sit in flowing waterways, such as rivers or canals. The flowing water pushes each blade from the front of the turbine to the back, but unlike a traditional paddle wheel design, the “paddles” on Hamner’s turbine flip open on their way back around, reducing drag and increasing power-harnessing ability.

I met Hamner at Williamson & Associates, a marine engineering company in Ballard that is helping Hamner with all the engineering for his turbines. The Ballard shop contained several giant pieces of marine equipment under construction, including a massive drill designed to test for methane 12,000 feet under the sea. “These guys can make anything work underwater,” Hamner says.

In contrast, Hydrovolt’s prototype turbine is about three feet long and sits against the wall in a conference room. It was built with motors scavenged from a washing machine. Hamner cranks it by hand, and a light bulb attached to the end lights up.

Washington state produces the most hydroelectric power in the nation, and the Columbia River’s Grand Coulee Dam is the largest hydropower plant, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. But water-generated power on such a scale requires massive amounts of construction and maintenance, Hamner says, and you can’t just go building a dam wherever you feel like it (not to mention the environmental impact).

Hydrovolts’ technology is a little simpler. While the prototype turbine is a few feet long, the working turbines will be about the size of a refrigerator, Hamner says. “It’s a very simple thing,” he said. “I can deliver this in a pickup, and have it in the water and producing power in 30 minutes.”

The fridge-sized turbines will cost $13,000 and will produce on average two to three kilowatts per day, or as much as 20 kilowatts per day, depending on where they are installed, … Next Page »

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Seattle-based 3Tier Group has raised $10 million in venture financing to drive its quest to help developers and financiers spot the best places in the world to build renewable energy facilities. Good Energies led the venture round, which will be used to establish offices in Europe and Asia, as first reported this morning by John Cook at TechFlash.

3Tier’s star has been on the rise this year as the price of oil surged over the summer, rekindling interest in alternatives. Even with oil dropping to less than $40 a barrel, this company clearly has something the world still wants. 3Tier Group is all about using high-powered computers to crunch data that can help governments and energy companies find the most efficient place to put a wind farm, solar panels, or hydropower turbines, as I wrote in a company profile of 3Tier Group last month.

The company, founded in 1999, has grown to about 85 employees based at the Westin Building in Seattle. About one-third bring expertise in atmospheric science, one-third are software programmers, and the rest are in business, said CEO Kenneth Westrick. Their task is to use computing models to forecast the ebbs and flows of wind, solar, and hydro at different times of day and different seasons, for example. This is supposed to give investors more confidence in the reliability of the source of renewable power, over decades, that is needed before they will plunk down hundreds of millions of dollars for a new facility, Westrick said.

Some of 3Tier’s growth has been driven by big customers like General Electric, the Spanish utility Iberdola, Houston, TX-based Horizon Wind Energy, and Seattle City Light. Westrick told TechFlash that the dropping price of oil has “taken a little bit of the wind out of the sails in the short-term,” but he believes that will be offset by a new push for renewables from President-elect Obama.

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Brookfield Renewable Power, a Canadian energy company, is planning to open a new US headquarters in Marlborough, MA. The firm has a $13 billion portfolio in hydroelectric plants and wind farms across North America and Brazil. It is owned by Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM), based in Toronto.

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