Norma Byron founded Ashlawn Energy in 2008.

Drawing on her knowledge of hydrogen fuel cells (a cousin of Vanadium batteries) from her work in the defense industry and harnessing a desire to create something to benefit the world, Norma developed the VanChargTM battery. Since then, Ashlawn Energy, LLC has received Department of Energy funding, filed five patents on our technology, and developed key business partnerships across New York City and the state of New York.

We joined Binghamton University's Koffman Clean Energy Incubator in 2018 and established a research and test lab there a year later. In 2020, we became part of the Prototype-to-Production cohort at Rev: Ithaca Startup Works, an incubator created by Cornell University, Ithaca College, and Tompkins-Cortland Community College.

What Sets Us Apart

Made in the USA

VanChargTM is manufactured in the United States of America

Woman-owned

Ashlawn Energy is a certified woman-owned business with three entities: New York City, New York state, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Smart Grid

We are part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Smart Grid

Our Team

Norma Byron

President & Founder Ashlawn Energy

With a passion for bringing innovative and transformative technologies to the world, she has worked with DOE, DOD, state and municipal governments, and commercial enterprises. She obtained the original technology license, patented technology improvements, and established VanCharg™ manufacturing. She created unique business models and formed strategic partnerships with communities and businesses who share her passion for addressing climate change. Norma manages 15-person team. She has 15 years energy experience, and experience as a DOD & DOE contractor. She has managed projects with greater than $300M defense budgets.

Maurice Daniel

Chief Scientist

With Ashlawn since its inception, Maurice is inventor or co-inventor on Ashlawn's five patents. A prolific inventor with over 40 years' experience, Maurice is responsible to manage Ashlawn Energy's technology innovation, coordinating the direction and the output of professionals from across the technological spectrum and disciplines, to include design, test, production and technology integration. Maurice has advanced his inventions beginning with patents and prototypes to fully commercialized products in a multi-million dollar company with over 100 employees (Lumitex LLC.)

Steve Supron

Chief, Engineering, Technology & Hardware

Cornell REV Ithaca Startup Works. Creative product development engineer and team leader who has contributed to over 20 successful product designs, more than 40 patented inventions and billions of dollars in revenue. Steve leads Ashlawn Energy's engineering and prototyping-to-production efforts. He recently led Ashlawn's battery redesign efforts that improved battery performance, reliability and manufacturability, and reduced manufacturing cost, complexity of assembly, and cycle time.

Clifford Krowne

PhD, Research Scientist

Clifford is a strong research professional with significant research experience in industry, widely recognized for his leading research in microwave electronics, materials science, nanomaterials, electromagnetics and physics. Formerly a research scientist at the Naval Research Laboratory, Clifford has a strong background and interests in theoretical and applied research in physics, mathematical physics, electronics, electromagnetic field theory, microwave circuits, material science and nanoscience, with over 200 peer-reviewed scientific publications. His most notable instructor was Julian Schwinger (Harvard, UCLA) Nobel Prize in Physics.

Drury MacKenzie

Business Strategy

NYSERDA EIR. Drury was formerly on AVANGRID's Smart Grid Innovation team and Iberdrola's Network's Global Innovation Committee. Her professional experience includes management of utility distributed energy resources, and solar projects the US, Haiti, Africa, LATAM, Europe and Asia. Drury has deep knowledge of utility and grid programs. She is a visionary strategic thinker who identifies, explores, and tests new business/engineering approaches, evenly balanced by her healthy pragmatism and solid understanding of customer and community needs.

Charleen Heidt

Market Research & Ithaca Community Outreach

Charleen has over 35 years of practical experience in marketing research and strategic planning. She previously served as the Community Outreach Coordinator for NYSEG/AVANGRID's Energy Smart Community (ESC) in Ithaca, NY. In her professional career Charleen has advanced the cause of smart utility/grid programs and other clean energy projects. She has been a leading proponent of enabling inclusiveness of decision-making and economic opportunities for low and medium income (LMI) communities. Prominent clients have included Iron Mountain, HP, Corning, and Motorola.

Catherine Swail

Mechanical Engineer

Catherine recently joined Ashlawn Energy, following her mechanical engineering internship since Spring Semester, 2022. Catherine is a recent graduate of Binghamton University, with a Master's degree Mechanical Engineering.

Tony Daniels

Principal/Founder, Cycle Architecture + Planning

Cycle is a transformative architecture, sustainability, and urbanism practice pioneering the industrialization of deep energy retrofits. Cycle creates deep and enduring value for clients with architectural, planning, and urban design solutions that go gently on the earth, and are practical, efficient, and beautiful. He has a keen focus on the LMI community in New York City and in upstate New York. He is committed to integrating Ashlawn's battery with building retrofits. Cycle works with Taitem Engineering. Cycle has 20 years of renewable energy building deployments and deep energy retrofits working with NYSERDA and NYCHA and other commercial deployments.

Charles Tanzola

Ashlawn Energy Consultant and Owner of TDM Fuel Cells (fuel cell component manufacturer)

Charles "Chuck" Tanzola is a widely recognized pioneer, prototyper, and researcher in the field of fuel cells and flow batteries, with many years of hands-on practical experience. He serves as a technical advisor to Ashlawn Energy. TDM Fuel Cells is a component manufacturer for Ashlawn Energy.