DOE Funding Smart Grid, Advanced Solar
Start-ups
Sep 28, 2010 - Washington, DC - DOE
The US energy department announced $188
million for clean tech startups, with $73 million coming
from the Recovery Act.
Last week, U.S Energy Secretary Steven
Chu today announced that the Department of Energy will
award a total of $188 million to small businesses in
34 states to develop technologies with a strong potential
for commercialization and job creation.
Funded through DOE's Small Business Innovation Research
program (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer
program (STTR), the companies selected are for Phase
II work, which means that the 201 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.
In smart grid controllers, one million-dollar 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.
Another million-dollar project was in advanced solar
technologies and went to Luminit, in Torrance, CA, to
develop a 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.
According to DOE, between 1993 and 2008, small business
created 64% of all net new jobs, totaling 14.5 million
new jobs and employ nearly 40% of the U.S. science and
engineering workforce.
The goal of DOE's SBIR program is to help innovative
small businesses succeed. In keeping with the goals of
the Recovery Act, the Department's SBIR efforts have
incorporated a fast-track process for applications, increased
emphasis on job creation and commercialization potential.