DOE Awards $127M For Small Business Clean Energy R&D Projects

(Credit: Pexels)

by | Jul 30, 2021

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(Credit: Pexels)

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded $127 million to small businesses working on clean energy technology, representing a total of 110 projects in 26 states. Funding is provided by DOE’s science and energy program offices, the Office of Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation, and the Office of Environmental Management.

“Small businesses are the backbone of American communities, representing some of our best opportunities to make the clean energy innovations our country needs to meet President Biden’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm.

The awards will be administered by DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, which were established to help small businesses conduct research and development (R&D). Approved projects are funded by grants, and must have the potential for commercialization and meet specific DOE requirements.

The awarded projects are aimed at a wide range of clean technology themes, including cybersecurity, renewable energy, carbon management, grid reliability, and fusion energy.  Selected projects include the following, according to a DOE statement, and more detail is on the DOE site.

  • Princeton NuEnergy Incorporation, Bordentown, NJ ($1.15 million): Developing a novel process to recycle, regenerate, and upgrade aged lithium ion batteries.
  • RiKarbon, Inc., Newark, DE ($1.15 million): Commercializing technology to produce low-cost waste plastic feedstock and mitigate health risks of plastics to humans and ocean life.
  • Arctura, Inc., South Kingstown, RI ($1.15 million): Developing an innovative wind turbine blade coating to reduce damage caused by lightning.
  • Phase3 Photovoltaics, Portland, OR ($1.05 million): Designing manufactured homes with factory integrated solar panels.
  • nexTC Corporation, Corvallis, OR ($1.1 million): Developing new technologies to improve solar module performance and lower materials cost.
  • Fastwatt LLC, Clifton Park, NY ($1.57 million): Scaling up offshore wind turbines to larger sizes that can reduce the cost of electricity.
  • Bettergy Corp., Peekskill, NY ($1.15 million): Developing practical and cost-effective technology for the reuse of brine wastewater from oil fields or geothermal sites.
  • Vista Clara Inc., Mukilteo, WA ($1.15 million): Developing specialized sensors to monitor subsurface changes and improve cleanup management at environmentally contaminated sites.
  • Creative Power Solutions, (USA), Inc, Fountain Hills, AZ ($1.6 million): Developing and commercializing ammonia gas turbine combustor technology to be used as clean carbon-free fuel and energy storage.
  • Susteon Inc., Cary, NC ($1.6 million): Using dual functional materials that enable capture of CO2 from air to substantially lower the cost of direct air capture.
  • Emissol LLC, Mill Creek, WA ($1.65 million): Pursuing a low-cost pathway to reducing the overall CO2 capture cost and accelerating direct air capture’s path to market and commercialization.
  • Epir, Inc., Bolingbrook, IL ($1.1 million): Developing a measurement system on semiconductor substrates.

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