Colorado School of Mines graduates helping greentech take root

By Sarah Kuta, Special to Mines Magazine

A manicured lawn is a thing of beauty. The lush, uninterrupted carpet of grass stretching from sidewalk to sidewalk, the tidy rows of emerald-green stripes, the crisp edges—and not a dandelion in sight.

But hidden behind this dreamy scene is an army of loud, gas-powered lawn mowers emitting heat-trapping greenhouse gas into the atmosphere. And, to run the machines, a crew of hard-to-find employees who must spend hours sweating in the summer sun.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Landscaping can be cleaner, quieter and more efficient, according to Scythe Robotics. The Longmont, Colorado-based startup is developing the commercial mower of the future: an all-electric, fully autonomous, robotic vehicle called the M.52.

“We’re using advanced technology to foster a greener, more sustainable future,” said Alex Gall ’22, MS ’23, a field service engineer at Scythe Robotics.

Gall is one of the many Mines graduates who are pursuing careers in “cleantech,” short for clean technology. He’s currently working in a role that seamlessly combines his passion for robotics with his desire to be part of the climate solution.

“I was predisposed to wanting to be an environmental steward coming into Mines, but the university definitely gave me the tools to be a good engineer so that I can be the best steward I can be,” Gall said.

Cleantech, also known as “greentech,” is a fast-growing sector that encompasses universities, laboratories and industry, all working to develop new, sustainable technologies. These eco-friendly products and services are meant to help slow environmental impacts and protect the health of the planet. Examples include improving water treatment processes, making meat substitutes out of fungi, electrifying recreational vehicles, transforming waste into building materials and cleaning contaminated dirt, just to name a few.

With the industry’s emphasis on innovation and real-world problem-solving, it’s no surprise that Mines graduates are flocking to cleantech roles—and thriving.

“We’re facing some of the biggest, hardest, most technical challenges of our time, and Mines graduates and faculty are at the forefront of trying to solve them,” said Zack Bennett ’99, director of the Beck Venture Center at Mines. “They embrace the challenge of figuring it all out—it’s just incredible.”

Colorado is a cleantech hot spot

The cleantech industry has grown rapidly as the United States works toward its environmental and climate goals. In recent years, more and more scientists, engineers, entrepreneurs and other innovators have teamed up to create new products and services that are better for the environment.

With more than 30 federal scientific laboratories, multiple research universities and a robust startup scene, Colorado, in particular, has become a cleantech hot spot. The Centennial State ranks fourth in the nation in cleantech job concentration and eighth in cleantech venture capital investment, according to Colorado Cleantech.

“Coloradans don’t need to look far to see the impact of climate change. More erratic weather. Less snowpack. But so many of the solutions that we need to tackle climate change are born right here in Colorado,” said U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper. “Thanks to our cleantech sector and research hubs, Colorado is at the center of advancing the great transition.”

Mines is uniquely positioned to help propel this burgeoning industry in Colorado and beyond. Mines faculty and students are conducting groundbreaking research to help solve environmental challenges, and the Office of Research and Technology Transfer is helping commercialize their inventions. In addition, the new Beck Venture Center is supporting cleantech startups as they develop new technologies and bring them to market.

The 31,000-square-foot center is a hub for entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, service providers and related experts. The three-story building boasts ample networking, classroom and event space, which Mines-affiliated entrepreneurs can use as they build and grow their businesses. The center also provides office space for nine, federally funded cleantech entrepreneurs from West Gate, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program.

“Increasingly, as a country, we’re relying more and more on startups to drive innovation,” said Bennett. “That’s where places like the Beck Venture Center really shine. We’re creating a nurturing, fertile environment for these startups to succeed, to really push the envelope and find those cutting-edge solutions.”

Though it’s been open for less than a year, the Beck Venture Center is already making an impact: In October, cleantech leaders from across the state gathered at the venue for a Cleantech Roundtable organized by Hickenlooper.

“It was fantastic that the Beck Venture Center was his obvious choice for where he wanted to host this event,” said Bennett. “We’ve created a space for these important conversations that could affect the future of the nation’s cleantech policies.”

Tinted windows: Privacy and energy savings for homeowners

Many Orediggers are putting their Mines education to work by contributing to cleantech research and development. They’re motivated by different reasons: Some like the challenge of solving technical problems or want to do their part to protect the environment. Others enjoy the fast-moving, all-hands-on-deck atmosphere of a startup.

Sarah Livingston ’20 has always wanted to help reduce the world’s energy footprint, which is why she added an energy minor to her chemical engineering major at Mines. Now, as a senior chemical engineer at Tynt Technologies, she’s putting both of those specialties to use to help create elegant, energy-efficient windows.

Tynt is a Boulder-based startup developing dynamic windows that can transition from transparent to blackout, with any level of shade in between. The company is in the research and development stage, but once its windows hit the market, homeowners will be able to control the tint level using a wireless app.

The windows are designed to give homeowners more privacy when they want it—similar to window treatments like blinds or curtains. But, as an added benefit, Tynt’s windows can also help homeowners better control their homes’ climate, which can lead to both financial and energy savings.

“The problem is simple: windows are not as efficient as walls. However, everyone wants more windows and less walls,” said Livingston. “So the goal is to develop a product that meets both the energy requirements needed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while also allowing homeowners to manage the light while maintaining their view.”

Tynt’s windows, when darkened, reflect more sunlight and heat than clear windows. On hot days in the summer, homeowners can darken the windows to help maintain cooler temperatures inside their homes. This means they don’t have to rely so much on their air conditioners, which not only use large amounts of electricity but also require refrigerants that are greenhouse gasses. In the chillier winter months, homeowners can make the windows transparent to let the sun in and use its natural energy for heating.

A significant amount of energy used to heat and cool homes gets lost through windows—as much as 25 to 30 percent, according to the U.S Department of Energy. So, even a small improvement can add up to big savings. Plus, Tynt’s windows may help homeowners reduce the amount of energy they use on a daily basis, without needing to make any lifestyle changes.

“Every bit counts when it comes to reducing the world’s energy footprint,” said Livingston. “Energy usage will continue to rise, so improving the efficiency of all aspects of day-to-day life will have huge impacts over time. It is estimated that nearly half of the energy we produce is lost to various inefficiencies. Tackling this problem from multiple angles is our best shot at making a tangible difference.”

Tynt’s windows consist of a transparent electrolyte sandwiched between two panes of glass. Much of Livingston’s work centers on improving the electrolyte’s durability and manufacturability, which she described as the “most critical component” of the technology. Livingston’s work is critical towards driving a low-cost, scalable solution to windows, which is how Tynt aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Rather than being the Ferrari of windows, Tynt aims to be the Honda Civic: affordable and ubiquitously available for all.

Livingston’s time at Mines gave her the confidence and the know-how to methodically work through problems, even those she’s never encountered before.

“I often find myself working on projects that I have no direct experience to guide me, but this combination of hard work and problem solving allows me to quickly adapt and excel at new and interesting challenges,” she said.

Robots come to recycling

Kevin Ehlmann MS ’19 was already several years into his career as a mechanical engineer when he realized he wanted to pivot toward “something a little bit more altruistic,” he said. He decided to go back to school to earn a master’s degree and enrolled at Mines because of its strong biomechanics and robotics research.

Initially, he thought he might get into the medical device industry. But then he heard about AMP, a company based in Louisville, Colorado, that’s using artificial intelligence and robots to help improve the recycling industry. Ehlmann appreciated the company’s environmentally focused mission, so he applied and landed a job as a senior mechanical engineer.

AMP is trying to solve some of recycling’s biggest problems. Traditionally, recycling centers have relied on human workers to sort and separate different kinds of materials, as well as remove any contaminants (like plastic shopping bags). But the work is difficult, smelly and potentially dangerous.  

“It’s not a job that most people want to do,” said Ehlmann.

In addition, human sorters are costly and inefficient, which makes it difficult for waste collectors to break even.

“There’s not a whole lot of economic incentive to recycle,” said Ehlmann. “It costs the same to sort the material as what the material is worth.”

Enter AI-equipped robots. Robots don’t get tired, and they don’t have to worry about getting injured on the job. Using cameras, servers and pneumatic systems, AMP’s robots can sort waste quickly and accurately. They not only keep more materials out of the landfill, but they also help keep costs down, thus making recycling more economically viable.

For Ehlmann, the job is the perfect blend of hands-on troubleshooting, research and development and computational analysis. He also likes that he’s able to use his engineering skillset to do something beneficial for society and the planet.

“There’s a whole lot of information out there about how recycling is a broken industry—and, in some ways, it is,” said Ehlmann. “But, in other ways,
it can be fixed. We just have to solve the right technical problems.”

Innovation is key

The cleantech industry is poised for future growth. If the world hopes to achieve its climate goals—such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering carbon dioxide—it will need savvy, outside-the-box innovators who aren’t afraid to push the boundaries of what’s possible. 

“Cleantech requires tons of innovation,” said Gall. “As it stands, I don’t think we have the technologies necessary to solve the climate crisis. There are a lot of technologies that still need to be invented and brought to market. But I believe we are trending on the right path, even if the change is a bit slower than I would like.”