The Energy Department’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) recently announced 70 grants totaling $10.5 million to small businesses to develop technologies with a strong potential for commercialization and job creation. These awards will help small businesses with promising ideas for clean energy solutions that could improve manufacturing processes, boost the efficiency of buildings, reduce reliance on foreign oil, and generate electricity from renewable sources.
Funded through DOE’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, the awards included three projects that will explore concepts for improving the performance and reducing the costs of land-based and offshore wind technologies.
Boulder Nonlinear Systems, Inc., in Lafayette Colorado, will develop a compact, low-power wind sensor to monitor offshore winds and optimize wind power.
Hyper Tech Research, Inc., in Columbus Ohio, is developing a lightweight 5 MW to 6MW superconducting wind turbine generator that is easily transportable.
Wetzel Engineering, Inc., in Lawrence, Kansas, will research the development of field-assembled, component-based rotor blades that will avoid the expense and logistical challenges of transporting very large blades.
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Press release, February 26, 2013; Image: Alpha Ventus