When Akash Borde walked into a warehouse during San Francisco Climate Week, he wasn’t expecting to help solve one of humanity’s biggest problems in just 24 hours.

“I’ve wanted to work in sustainable energy since high school,” he said. “Climate change isn’t just one issue—it’s the problem that underlies all others.”

That passion led him to the Open Source Energy Hackathon at Port Labs, a hands-on event hosted by Energy IoT Open Source. Unlike typical panels or policy talks, this hackathon was built for makers. No fluff. Just soldering irons, code, and a global mission: make energy systems people can actually use—anywhere, anytime.

The Problem: You Bought the Hardware, But Can You Use It?

Arila, one of the organizers, framed the challenge clearly: "If someone pays for solar hardware, they should be able to use it—even if the company that made it goes out of business or if the software license expires.”

That simple idea lit a fire in the room. Akash and a small team got to work.

By the end of the weekend, they had built a working prototype to support open-source energy metering—the kind that could one day be deployed across communities with limited infrastructure, from rural villages to disaster zones.

Why This Hackathon Was Different

“There are very few hardware hackathons where you actually accomplish something,” Akash said. “Usually it’s about meeting sponsors. But Arila set this up so we had just enough gear to get started, and it was real. We built something that will actually be used in the field.”

Now, with access to Port Labs’ maker space, Akash is continuing the work—helping Energy IoT Open Source build a platform that supports energy equity, resilience, and global reach.

🔌 Ready to Join the Movement?

Port Labs is more than a lab. It’s a launchpad. If you're an engineer, entrepreneur, tinkerer, or just someone who believes energy should be a basic right, come tour the lab. Join a hackathon. Volunteer. Contribute code. Help electrify the world—open-source style.

We have a set of Tours available at lu.ma the first of which is on August 13th. 

https://www.zeffy.com/donation-form/open-source-lab-portlabs-oakland

#ClimateTech #OpenSourceEnergy #Microgrids #PortLabs #SustainableInnovation #SFClimateWeek