New & Small Business Support - New & Existing Businesses

Funding Emphasizes Investment in Clean Energy Technologies and Job Creation

August 28, 2009 -- U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu recently announced that $37 million in funding from the Recovery Act will be made available to qualified small businesses through the Department's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. This funding announcement emphasizes the Department's commitment to developing near-term, clean energy technologies while allowing small businesses take part in the new industrial revolution that the sustainable energy economy will bring.

"Small businesses are engines of job creation and innovation, and we need their ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit to drive a clean energy economy," says Secretary Chu. "By helping small businesses bring clean technologies to market, we can create jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and reduce carbon pollution."

Note: The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST) provides technical and financial support for Phase I proposal development. Contact Sherry Roberts at 405-319-8418 to learn more. If you would like to speak with someone at Commerce, please call Vikki Dearing at 405-815-5114.

The Department of Energy's (DOE) SBIR/STTR programs target U.S. companies with fewer than 500 employees. Small businesses with strong research capabilities in science or engineering are encouraged to apply. Applications are currently being accepted for topic areas related to improving energy efficiency including:

Advanced building air conditioning and refrigeration, thermal load
Shifting, and cool roofs
Water usage in electric power generation and industrial processes
Power plant cooling
Advanced gas turbines and materials
Sensors, controls, and wireless networks
Advanced water power technology development
Smart controllers for smart grid applications
Advanced solar technologies
Advanced industrial technologies development
Advanced manufacturing processes

The deadline for submission of applications is September 4, 2009, at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Approximately $8.5 million is expected to be available for new Phase I awards. Successful applicants may receive up to $150,000 for a Phase I grant for a period of six months to demonstrate the feasibility of the ideas that appear to have commercial potential

For more information about DOE's SBIR and STTR programs please visit: http://www.science.doe.gov/sbir/

DOE Announces $37 Million For Small Business Research And Technology