MassCEC / Net Zero Grid / GridTech Launch Pad
The electric grid is evolving rapidly to support clean air, healthy communities, and a vibrant economy. Advanced technology for the grid, or “gridtech”, is a type of climatetech that can help the energy system meet these changing demands efficiently, affordably, and equitably. The Gridtech Launch Pad supports grid innovation by providing opportunities for grant funding, partnerships, and policy & regulatory insight to help innovators and utilities develop and deploy gridtech.
Recent Gridtech Launchpad initiatives include the Spring 2025 and Winter 2025 Gridtech Spotlight in MassCEC’s InnovateMass program.
Benefits of Gridtech
1. Reduced energy costs and improved electric service.
Advanced gridtech makes the grid smarter, delivering power to where it is needed more efficiently and enhancing resilience.
2. Job creation grows the climatetech economy.
Massachusetts is home to many innovators creating and deploying new gridtech solutions, supporting jobs across the Commonwealth.
3. Integration of renewable energy
Gridtech makes it easier to add solar, wind, hydropower, and other renewable sources of power to the grid. It manages variability and storage options, which ensures a stable energy supply while supporting pollution reduction goals.
InnovateMass Grid Innovation Spotlight
MassCEC's InnovateMass program provides grant funding to innovators and startups to demonstrate new clean energy and climate technologies or innovative combinations of existing technologies that demonstrate a strong potential for commercialization while providing significant, measurable clean energy and/or climate benefits. Eligible technologies are at Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs) 5-8; awards are up to $350,000 per project.
The Winter 2025-2026 round of InnovateMass grant funding provided a “Gridtech Spotlight” opportunity for innovators to partner with a Massachusetts electric utility on a grid technology (“gridtech”) demonstration. Applicants proposed to demonstrate a technology that aligned with areas of interest identified by MA electric utilities. See the InnovateMass page for more information and to apply.
Gridtech Adoption Support
NewGrid, Inc.
NewGrid devises software solutions for grid congestion and the integration of renewables that aim to increase grid flexibility and resilience. The Net Zero Grid team provided follow-on funding after NewGrid’s InnovateMass award, which allowed NewGrid to expand the applications of its Router transmission topology optimization technology by developing key software features and demonstrating them for the Independent System Operator-New England (ISO-NE).
envelio
envelio piloted its distribution planning software with Massachusetts utilities via an award from the NZG team’s 2021 Distribution System Planning Lab program. envelio’s Intelligent Grid Platform automates electric distribution system network modeling and proposes upgrade plans that would accommodate distributed energy resources and electrification load growth.
Gridtwin
Gridtwin partnered with Massachusetts utilities to demonstrate its software that forecasts future solar development sites while supporting efforts to streamline and optimize interconnection upgrades with an award from the Distribution System Planning Lab program.
MassCEC / Net Zero Grid / GridTech Launch Pad