The U.S Department of Energy Monday announced the award of $188 million to small businesses in 34 states to develop clean energy technologies with a potential for commercialization and job creation.
Funded through DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer program (STTR), the selections are for Phase II work, which means that the awards will support the development of prototype or pilot operations for innovative technologies that have successfully passed the proof of concept stage.
The 201 awards fall in 76 targeted technology topics, in areas such as the smart grid, energy efficient buildings, industrial energy use, advanced renewables, cleaner fossil power, carbon cycle measurement, and high performance computing.
A sample of the Phase II SBIR/STTR topic areas includes:
- Smart Grid Controllers – An effective smart grid requires communication among a variety of devices, from utility control systems to household appliances. One project, led by Infotility in Boulder, CO, will develop a "Smart Controller" that enables communication among distributed energy systems-such as roof-top solar panels, a plug-in electric vehicle, and demand response devices in the home. (DOE award: $999,655)
- Advanced Solar Technologies – This topic seeks to develop novel, previously untried but commercially feasible solar concepts and devices. One project, led by Luminit, LLC, in Torrance, CA, will develop a unique sun-tracking holographic concentrator that separately uses both visible light for photovoltaic power and infra-red light to provide heat and hot water for a building. (DOE award: $999,986)
- Carbon Cycle Measurements – A project led by Aerodyne Research, Inc, in Billerica, MA, will develop an extremely accurate CO2 monitor, which will assist in understanding global climate change and will help companies measure carbon capture and sequestration projects. (DOE award: $749,787)
The small businesses being announced today will join the ranks of past SBIR and STTR recipients, many of which have successfully brought their innovations to market. For example, past SBIR recipient A123 Systems (Nasdaq: AONE) has grown into a leading manufacturer of cutting-edge lithium ion batteries and is now expanding its manufacturing base in Michigan, and another past SBIR winner, Amonix, is growing its concentrating PV manufacturing capacity in Nevada, which is expected to employ hundreds of workers.
More information about the companies in the latest round of funding is available at the link below.
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