DOE Awards $53M to 259 Small Businesses Developing Climate Solutions

The Department of Energy has earmarked $53 million in grants for small businesses working on technologies to address climate change.

DOE said the funding will support 259 projects across 38 states. Developing clean energy solutions support President Joe Biden’s effort to decarbonize the U.S. economy by 2050, DOE said Wednesday.

The fields covered by the projects include energy resilience, renewable energy, energy storage, carbon capture and conversion and future energy.

Some of the awardees are Charles River Analytics, Bioenno Tech, Z&STech, River Connectivity Systems, Advanced Cooling Technologies and Cornerstone Research Group.

DOE said that the funding will be administered by its Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs.

According to the department, the two programs have helped innovative businesses commercialize their technologies and achieve $1.7 billion in sales.

The programs fund projects related to a wide range of technology areas relevant to the federal government’s research and engineering needs, DOE added.

Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said that investment will both promote the development of innovative technologies and create good-paying jobs for underserved communities.

Granholm added that addressing climate change will require the strength of the entire U.S. enterprise, “especially the small businesses that are propelling clean energy advances.” 

Rep. Nydia Velazquez, chair of the House Small Business Committee, said that DOE’s awards may inspire more small businesses to follow the lead of the awardees.

Sens. Chris Murphy, Mazie Hirono, Gary Peters, Reverend Warnock and Reps. Lloyd Doggett, Mike Doyle, Kim Schrier, Lori Trahan, Lauren Underwood, Paul Tonko, David Price, Mike Levin, Morgan Griffith, Bill Foster, Tom Cole and Mike Doyle also voiced their support for DOE’s investment.