We're Launching Our GoFundMe Campaign — Here's Why
Today, OTW Energy is launching a GoFundMe campaign to fund the next phase of development for the Personal Energy Platform (PEP).
Why we're doing this
In November 2024, a federal Letter of Intent that would have supported a PEP pilot serving 100 low-income households in California was defunded and canceled following a shift in renewable energy policy. That pilot was meant to prove out something we've believed for years: that resilient, affordable power shouldn't be reserved for homeowners who can install rooftop solar and a backup battery in their garage. Renters — who make up more than a third of U.S. households — have been almost entirely excluded from the energy transition.
Since that funding fell through, this work has continued because I've been funding it myself, moonlighting as a commercial and First Responder drone pilot to keep PEP moving. That's not sustainable, and it's not how a technology this close to market should have to get built.
What the campaign funds
We're raising $15,000 to carry PEP through the next stage of development — from refining the prototype to preparing for broader deployment. This is the bridge funding that gets us from where the canceled pilot left off to where we need to be to bring PEP to renters who need it.
Why it matters
PEP is designed to give renters — the people locked out of net metering, homeowner tax credits, and rooftop solar incentives — a way to store and manage their own power. It's already earned real recognition: a 2024 Startup World Cup Regional Championship, interest from Sacramento's municipal utility, and coverage on local news for its potential role in emergency power during outages. What it hasn't had is a straight shot at the next milestone, because that federal support disappeared.
How you can help
Back the campaign: every contribution moves us closer to $15,000 and keeps development on track.
Share it: if you know renters, climate advocates, or anyone who's been frustrated watching the energy transition leave people behind, send this their way.
This is a campaign about who gets to participate in the energy transition. We think it should be everyone — not just people who own their roof.
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