Energy Department to Award $97M R&D Funding to Small Businesses

The Department of Energy is set to award 86 grants worth $97M to 70 small businesses across 28 states as part of the department’s Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.

The grants, which were announced by Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, will fund the businesses’ Phase II research and development efforts.

The following R&D programs were selected to receive funding: configurable entangled photon source for quantum networks, oxygen selective metal-organic framework adsorbent for high-efficiency air separation, high-aspect-ratio diamond refractive optics, and dynamic gamma-ray imaging for in vivo tracking of microelement transport across plant-microbial systems, the DoE said.

Only small businesses whose innovations were deemed feasible during their Phase I grants were considered for the Phase II funding. Additionally, previous Phase II awardees were eligible for sequential Phase II awards.