SubSeaSail Awarded SBIR Phase 1 Grant from Department of Energy

SubSeaSail, LLC (SSS) has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 grant from the Department of Energy (DoE) Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO). It was one of twelve companies selected from nine different states, based on their proposals and ability to impact the future of marine energy.

The SubSeaSail one-year grant is for $206,500 which will be used to create a low-cost, user-friendly environmental monitoring vessel for offshore marine energy sites. The vessel will be designed to work on the surface and continue to monitor and measure when submerged down to 30 meters. The vessel will be based on the company’s patented semi-submersible, monohull design and incorporate a unique SSS developed Passive Acoustic Array to monitor underwater soundscapes and 3^rd party magnetometers to measure electro-magnetic fields generated by in-water hydrokinetic installations. The ability to autonomously provide near and far field monitoring from a 100% renewable energy vessel that can sail to locations, maintain position, submerge for periods of time to listen/measure/monitor, return to the surface to monitor while re-charging batteries, transmit data, and remain at sea for extended periods for a fraction of the cost of other systems will be unique. This configuration will also have a variety of additional applications across academia, government, military and the private sector.

About SubSeaSail LLC:

SSS is a 4-year-old, San Diego-based BlueTech company with a mission to develop 100% energy harvesting, innovative, disruptively affordable, long-duration (1+ month) platforms & sensors. SSS is developing three lines of business products: 1) monohull, semi-submersible observation vessels; 2) multi-hull, surface cargo vessels; and 3) unique sensors ideally suited for these vessels including rigid Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) Arrays and a weather station. SubSeaSail vessels are “Designed for Simplicity” and backed by multiple patents including a monohull sailing vessel with the hull below the waterline and a passive wingsail control mechanism that provides autonomous management of the sail without any lines, pulleys, or electronics. This results in a revolutionary vessel design with low drag/wake and minimal detection (acoustic, IR, radar, visual) signature. Designed for long duration and persistent missions, a servo is the only electro-mechanical device required to sail.