Fuel Awards Over $1 Million to Second Round of Proof-of-Concept Awardees

Baton Rouge, La. (May 5, 2026) – Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL) is proud to announce its second round of Proof-of-Concept awards, with nearly $1.2 million allocated to Renovigo Chemicals, Westfield Fluid Controls, Inc., Eray Geophysical, EcoGlobe, NovaSpark Energy, and Waste to Energy Systems, LLC.

FUEL’s Proof-of-Concept Fund accelerates early-stage companies from early development to commercial application in Louisiana, providing capital that bridges the critical funding gap between invention and market entry. The use of non-diluted funds prepares companies to receive professional funding and propel them to success faster and more effectively.

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“These startups aren’t just advancing energy innovation – they’re helping build a stronger Louisiana,” said Stephen Loy, Director of Technology Commercialization at FUEL. “We’re excited to support them as they turn their ideas into market-ready solutions.”

Project Highlights

Renovigo Chemicals: Utilizing Carbon Dioxide in the Production of Propylene and Acrylonitrile

• Investment: $194,675

• Investigator: Jeremiah Piper

• Industry Innovation: Renovigo Chemicals’ proposed effort combines proven and new technologies to produce propylene and acrylonitrile, using carbon dioxide as the primary material source rather than traditional oil and gas; the innovative approach promotes affordable supply by addressing the growing shortage within specific market segments.

Westfield Fluid Controls, Inc.: The Cryogenic Cam Butterfly Valve: A Specialized Fluid Control Device

• Investment: $197,675

• Investigator: Robert Schacht

• Industry Innovation: Westfield Fluid Controls, Inc. seeks to develop the Cryogenic Cam Butterfly Valve (CCBV), a specialized fluid control device, for use in extreme temperature conditions common in the liquified natural gas and hydrogen industries. The CCBV concept will provide a significant commercial advantage through reliable, high-performing, and economic solutions for cryogenic applications in varied conditions.

Eray Geophysical: Diffraction Seismic Software for Subsurface Fracture Detection in Carbon Capture and Storage

• Investment: $197,769

• Investigator: Rui Zhang

• Industry Innovation: Eray Geophysical is creating a machine learning-based software package for identifying subsurface fracture media by using diffraction seismic waves for Carbon Capture and Storage.

EcoGlobe: Turning Waste Into Value

• Investment: $200,000

• Investigators: Bea Roberts, Ana Sanz

• Industry Innovation: EcoGlobe is working to develop a digital marketplace that transforms wasted feedstocks into economic value, reducing costs, cutting emissions, and building supply chain resilience.

NovaSpark Energy: Gridless On-Demand Power for Reliable Energy Always

• Investment: $200,000

• Investigator: Rick Harlow

• Industry Innovation: The NovaSpark System provides gridless, self-reliant power generation in city or remote environments, effectively mitigating supply-chain related issues by providing on-demand energy generation and storage during power outages and disaster recovery efforts.

Waste to Energy Systems, LLC: Biomass Gasification System for Green Hydrogen Production

• Investment: $200,000

• Investigators: Alissa Woods Mahoney, Richard Woods

• Industry Innovation: Waste to Energy Systems is in the final stages of research and development for a patented gasification system, which is intended to develop as a green hydrogen source from biomass.

The investigators must complete their project within a year of receiving their award. The award covers a range of needs, including supplies, equipment, travel needs, professional services, salaries, and more.

About FUEL

Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL) brings together universities, community and technical colleges, state agencies, and industry and capital partners to drive high impact technology development and innovation. Supported by funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation's Regional Innovation Engines program and Louisiana Economic Development, FUEL strengthens Louisiana's energy innovation ecosystem through use-inspired research and development, workforce development, and technology commercialization. Together, FUEL and its partners are advancing our nation's capacity for energy innovation by fueling the future of energy in Louisiana, for the world.

For more information, visit fuelouisiana.org.