Alderbuck Energy Named to Cleantech Group’s 2026 Cleantech 50 to Watch List

Recognition highlights Alderbuck’s work advancing power infrastructure to support growing AI data center demand and grid flexibility.

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Alderbuck Energy, a San Diego-based power infrastructure company building advanced solid-state power conversion and energy management systems, today announced that it has been named to Cleantech Group’s 2026 Cleantech 50 to Watch list. The annual recognition highlights 50 early-stage private companies worldwide advancing innovative technologies to address emerging energy, environmental, and sustainability challenges.

“Being named to Cleantech Group’s 50 to Watch is meaningful recognition for our team,” said Rick Sander, CEO of Alderbuck Energy. “The challenges facing our electric grid go well beyond AI data centers. As EV charging, renewable energy, and battery storage continue to expand, we need infrastructure that can support these demands more efficiently and intelligently. Our focus is on bringing integrated power solutions to market that can help modernize the grid, improve reliability, and support the next generation of a more modern and efficient electric grid.”

Selected through nominations and voting by Cleantech Group’s expert panelists, this year’s honorees represent 12 countries, including 18 companies headquartered in the United States. Energy & Power was the largest category represented, with 17 companies recognized for developing technologies addressing growing electricity demand and grid infrastructure challenges. The 2026 list highlights technologies improving power access and grid flexibility as AI infrastructure expands. The full list of honorees and accompanying report are available at https://www.cleantech.com/50towatch/.

Alderbuck was recognized among companies advancing grid flexibility to help address the challenges of delivering electricity to high-density AI computing facilities. Its technology is designed to improve the efficiency and flexibility of power delivery while helping operators manage grid connection constraints.

Alderbuck’s integrated Nexus Power Unit™ (NPU) and PowerVector AI™ platform is designed to simplify how high-density data centers connect to and interact with the electric grid. The NPU uses solid-state transformer technology to convert medium-voltage AC directly into high-voltage DC, replacing multiple stages of conventional electrical equipment to reduce energy losses, equipment footprint, and installation complexity. PowerVector AI™ provides real-time monitoring and intelligent control of energy flows between utilities, batteries, renewable resources, and customer loads.

The recognition comes as Alderbuck advances efforts to validate its technology in real-world operating environments. The company has announced a planned deployment of its 800 VDC solid-state transformer platform at the San Diego Supercomputer Center at UC San Diego, as well as participation in a U.S. Department of Energy-funded project led by the National Laboratory of the Rockies to evaluate grid-supportive data center power infrastructure at megawatt scale. Together, these projects will help validate the platform's performance and support its path toward commercial deployment.

About Alderbuck Energy

Founded in 2024 and headquartered in San Diego, with engineering and manufacturing in Dearborn, Michigan, Alderbuck Energy develops solid-state, isolated, bidirectional power control systems that streamline the connection of AI data centers while improving energy efficiency and reducing cost. Its Nexus Power Unit (NPU)™ replaces multiple pieces of conventional electrical equipment, transformers, rectifiers, and inverters with a single, software-enabled platform that converts medium-voltage AC directly into high-voltage DC, reducing footprint, installation time, and energy losses. Companion software PowerVector AI™ monitors and manages energy flows between utilities, batteries, renewables, and customer loads in real time, using AI to optimize performance and flag equipment issues before failures occur. The platform helps customers overcome grid constraints so data center developers do not have to wait years for a utility connection.

For more information, visit www.alderbuck.com.