“Small businesses are engines of job creation and innovation, and we need their ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit to drive a clean energy economy,” says Energy Secretary Steven Chu.
“By helping America's small businesses bring these innovative technologies to market, we will spur economic growth and help reduce the country's energy use.”
Applications will be accepted for both renewable energy and non-renewable energy technology areas:
- Solar Technologies - Lowering the cost of solar photovoltaics (PV) through augmentation (lightweight, flexible and low cost multi-junction solar cells; static module solar PV Concentrators; new methods of crystallizing silicon);
- Wind Technologies - Advanced wind power technologies and systems;
- Geothermal Technologies - High temperature tools and sensors (high temperature downhole tools; high-temperature-high-volume lifting; high temperature downhole MWD tools for directional drilling);
- Biomass Technologies - Harvesting/dewatering technology for algal biofuels production;
- Fuel Cell Technologies - Advanced materials for fuel cell technologies; bio-fueled solid oxide fuel cells; and
- Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability - Smart grid technologies and systems; electric transmission technologies; superconducting technology for power equipment; advanced materials for power electronics and energy storage.
Funding will also be available for:
- Buildings Technologies - Transitional technology for organic light emitting diodes; SSL products made from organic light emitting diodes; core technology for organic light emitting diodes;
- Industrial Technologies - sensors and controls; industrial membrane process systems; advanced materials; integrated reaction-separation using non-thermal processes; mitigation of heat losses, fouling, and scaling in key manufacturing unit operations;
- Vehicle Technologies - Technologies to address internal heating in DC bus capacitors; improved magnetic materials for motors; advanced materials for lightweight vehicles;
- Fossil Energy - Pollution control; advanced power systems; stationary power fuel cells; clean fuels; carbon sequestration; recovery of oil, natural gas, and methane hydrates; advances in materials, sensors, monitors, controls, biotechnology, and computational processes; and
- Nuclear Energy - Advanced instrumentation and control, radiation resistant sensors, and wireless on-line monitoring systems for nuclear power plant applications.
This US$30m builds on DoE’s existing efforts under the Small Business Innovation Research program (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer program (STTR) to develop near-term clean energy technologies and support small US companies that will play an important role in building the clean and renewable energy economy of the future.
This is the first time that DoE has offered Phase III awards under these programs. Small companies which have previously received Phase II grants through SBIR or STTR are eligible.
Successful applicants may receive US$3m over three years to research, develop and deploy new technologies. Projects that include developed technologies with a strong potential for commercialization and impact on US manufacturing and job creation are encouraged to apply.
The deadline for submission of applications is August 4.