American Energy Innovators David Arfin and Adam Cohen talk about their solar and battery storage company NineDot Energy and the important role EERE played in helping them build the successful business they operate today.
Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
December 27, 2024
minute read time
American Energy Innovators David Arfin and Adam Cohen embrace thinking outside the box—that's why they named their New York-based urban energy solutions and battery storage company NineDot Energy, based on the classic mathematical puzzle that symbolizes out-of-the-box solutions.
"We try to create solutions that don’t currently exist," said Arfin, CEO of NineDot. "We also like to connect the dots."
The two met when Cohen was a postdoctoral fellow with the U.S. Department of Energy's Solar Energy Technologies Office. The duo leveraged a $490,000 grant from the program to create a business model that rethinks how renewable energy benefits and costs are shared between consumers and investors.
From there, Arfin, Cohen and their co-founder Nalin Kulatilaka pivoted their business model to launch NineDot, focusing on community-scale energy storage across New York City. Over 10 years, the NineDot team raised about $450 million in capital and is on track to develop, build, and operate more than 400 megawatts of renewable energy systems by the end of 2026—enough to power hundreds of thousands of New York households.
schoolchildren in front of NineDot’s first battery storage facility.
Photo by Jacy Case
NineDot's work is about more than advancing renewable energy systems for the city where they live and work; they're also passionate about inspiring the next generation of energy professionals. NineDot has partnered with a school across the street from their first battery storage facility in the Northeast Bronx. Employees volunteered to teach students during an after-school STEM enrichment program about renewable energy and how to advance sustainability in their neighborhood. The students left their first marks on renewable energy—literally—by designing a 135-foot-long mural along the fence surrounding NineDot's facility.
"I am so proud of NineDot's partnership with the students at the Bronx Charter School for Better Learning. Working with these students reminds us that it takes creativity, imagination, and community to make our sustainable energy vision a reality," said Cohen.
Arfin's advice for American energy innovators is simple: be bold and build relationships.
"There is a lot of support out there to make a difference," Arfin said. "Pick great partners and work with resources like the U.S. Department of Energy. It's not just about building projects; it's about building a coalition of people who care about the community and its future."
The U.S. Department of Energy collaborates with private sector partners to overcome gaps and invests in early-stage R&D to help reduce risk. By providing American innovators, like NineDot, with the resources they need to successfully enter the marketplace, EERE supports small businesses and advances America’s position as a leader in the growing global energy market.
Whether you’re supporting research and development or sharing the benefits of energy innovation with your community, find out how you can take an active role in America's energy future. Learn more about funding opportunities.