Philip DePond joins Breakthrough Energy’s Innovator Fellows program from Teragon Energy in Palo Alto, California. Phil is the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer, where he leads the development of advanced manufactured soft-magnet transformer cores. Phil is a materials science and mechanical engineer with more than a decade of advanced manufacturing expertise in the areas of laser-material interaction, metallurgy, and computational mechanics.

The U.S. transformer sector is facing severe constraints and existing manufacturing approaches are not equipped to meet the customization, efficiency, or speed required by evolving grid applications. Teragon Energy is developing a new approach to fabricate transformer cores using advanced manufacturing and high-performance magnetic alloys. Instead of stacking GOES laminations, our approach will manufacture a monolithic core using more commoditized feedstock. The Fellows program will infuse us with a deep technical bench, world-class advisors, and strategic partners that will accelerate the impact of this technology.

Phil is an avid problem solver and maker. When off-the-clock, he is most likely found kiteboarding around the San Francisco Bay Area. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles; a Master of Engineering in Materials Science and Engineering from Cornell University; and a Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University.