ENERGY
Q Station launches competition to bring startup technology to New Mexico鈥檚 oil patch
Twenty companies, including nine from New Mexico, are competing for a share of $50,000
An sa国际传媒官网网页入口 startup says it has found a way to bring solar power to remote oil wells that currently run on diesel generators 鈥� using 3D solar panels that capture sunlight more efficiently than conventional designs.
鈥淲e think this could be a very compelling option, both (in a) financial sense and also to add renewable power generation to oil wells,鈥� said Jonakee Reynolds, vice president of operations for the startup, TIPA Solar.
TIPA, founded in 2023, is one of nine New Mexico technology startups participating in an inaugural challenge to accelerate energy production, competing against 11 out-of-state companies to win a share of $50,000. The Q Station Energy Challenge was launched by the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 economic development organization Q Station and the New Horizons Foundation, aiming to stimulate economic growth and diversification in New Mexico and expedite solutions across the renewable and traditional energy industries, particularly in the Permian Basin.
Throughout the challenge, which began June 3, startups will learn strategies to help them engage with future investors and customers. It will also sharpen their value propositions to highlight their brand, said Toni Balzano, vice president of strategy and communications for Q Station.
鈥淲hat impressed us most was not just the quality of the technologies, but the commercial potential behind them,鈥� Balzano said of the companies chosen for the competition.
TIPA is recognized for its innovative 3D solar panel technology, designed to make sustainable energy universally accessible and efficient, according to the startup鈥檚 website.
The company does that by manufacturing hexagonal solar cells 鈥� the building blocks of a solar panel 鈥� which minimizes wasted space by roughly 33% and improves surface utilization when grouped together. Conventional solar panels face challenges related to land use and the need for sun-tracking mechanisms, Reynolds said.
Reynolds said efficiency is also compromised when photons reflect off panel surfaces. To solve this, the TIPA-developed panels utilize a prism to capture incoming sunlight.
鈥�(The sunlight) bounces around the photons a few times and gives them multiple times to connect with one of the panels within the small hexagonal structure, which then increases the overall output just for the amount of sunlight you鈥檙e getting,鈥� Reynolds said.
As part of the challenge, a team of nine from TIPA will work with the oil and gas industry to deploy its innovative 3D solar panels to power off-grid wells in remote areas that currently rely on diesel-powered generators, Reynolds said.
Reynolds said that while winning the challenge would boost TIPA鈥檚 profile, the funds would cover travel and logistics for future company growth.
鈥淚f we won, the actual exposure to those people, by going down there and presenting in front of them, I think could have a much bigger impact,鈥� Reynolds said.
Santa Fe-based Bandelier Technologies, founded in 2025, is also competing for a prize.
The company is working with a team of roughly 10 people 鈥� eight from sa国际传媒官网网页入口 and two from Los Alamos 鈥� to focus on quantum radar and sensing technology, which founder and CEO Stephen Buchanan said U.S. forces and allies can use in conflict zones where enemies jam GPS satellite signals. Bandelier was also recently selected for the New Mexico Lab Embedded Entrepreneur Program, put on by Los Alamos National Laboratory and other organizations.
Bandelier鈥檚 technology combines traditional computing with quantum physics to measure time with precision, and an artificial intelligence engine oversees the system and scans for any timing errors or digital threats, Buchanan said.
Buchanan said he looks forward to the showcase, viewing it as a personal and professional development opportunity.
鈥淚t is a great opportunity to connect with stakeholders in the Permian Basin,鈥� Buchanan said. 鈥淭his is an opportunity to connect with folks that I just haven鈥檛 ever gotten a chance to connect with.鈥�
After the companies showcase their innovations in September, three winners will be chosen by a panel of scientists, engineers and business leaders. The judges will use a structured scoring rubric to identify the three candidates that demonstrate the highest potential to revolutionize the energy industry, Q Station officials said.
In the meantime, the participating companies will learn how to optimize their operations for ongoing expansion, Balzano said.
鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited to bring this to southeastern New Mexico, and we see this as a real opportunity to grow the state and the region and bring some really thoughtful innovation into the energy sector here,鈥� Balzano said.
Keelin Fisher is a business reporter for the Journal. You can reach her at kfisher@abqjournal.com.
