Community Logbook

Interview #1: Alan Kenny and John Roscoe-Hudson

Sector: Underwater Communications

State/Region: San Diego, California

Organization: Kenautics

Titles: CEO and Lead Engineer(s)

Summary of Topic Area

Kenautics is an underwater communications device manufacturer. They develop devices for divers, underwater vehicles, and subsea engineers. Their technology enhances underwater navigation and communication using a system of buoys and an interface device.

Their devices rely on a battery system that requires periodic replacement. Through discussions, we identified an opportunity where our device could be used to charge these batteries instead of replacing them, making Kenautics a key potential end user for our technology.

Key Takeaways

• Alan and John emphasized the modularity of their devices and their adaptability to various applications.
• Insights from their devices helped guide our design decisions.
• They shared valuable strategies on business promotion and securing client contracts.
• We learned about biofouling prevention and the importance of proper coatings for long-term deployment.
• They highlighted different ways to test our device when the time comes.

Interview #2: Tom Acker

Sector: Water and Energy Distribution

State/Region: Arizona

Organization: Salt River Project

Title: Principal Engineer for Innovation & Development

Summary of Topic Area

Tom Acker informed us about the Salt River Project (SRP) and their mission to provide clean and reliable water and energy to support community growth. We learned that power storage is a crucial factor for energy suppliers, as different energy forms require specific storage techniques tailored to their characteristics and distribution methods.

Additionally, SRP is aiming to transition to 100% renewable energy sources by 2035, which highlights the importance of sustainable energy solutions like ours.

Key Takeaways

• Our team needs to research energy storage methods and their economic implications.
• Identifying the best way to store energy generated by our device is essential for meeting user needs.
• We gained insights into engineering economics related to product feasibility, including equity-to-debt ratios.
• SRP’s strong equity-to-debt ratio is due to its established customer base and low loan debt, offering a model to analyze financial viability.