DOE Invests in Small Businesses Developing Clean Energy, Climate Solutions

The Department of Energy has earmarked $35 million in funding for small businesses working to develop clean energy and climate solutions.

DOE said the funding will be distributed among 158 projects across 29 states. The projects are expected to advance technologies such as climate research tools and enhanced batteries for electric vehicles, DOE said Thursday.

Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said that small businesses are “economic engines” that only need investments to commercialize their breakthrough technologies.

“Supporting small businesses will ensure we are tapping into all of America’s talent to develop clean energy technologies that will help us tackle the climate crisis,” Granholm added.

Some of the awardees are Birch Biosciences, an Oregon-based company working on next-generation plastic recycling technology; Coreform, a Utah-based company developing new simulation technology to enable more efficient product design; and ExMat Research, a Washington-based company designing a sensor to mitigate the negative impacts of phosphorus in freshwater.

The government administered the funding under the Small Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs, which have reportedly resulted in over $1.7 billion in sales resulting from funding awards.

DOE said that past SBIR/STTR awards have led to advancements in the measurement of nanoscale chemical interactions, automation across industries and measurement of aerosol levels for climate research.

The department added that the investment will help the Biden administration achieve its goal of decarbonizing the U.S. economy by 2050.

According to a White House memo, President Joe Biden also has the interim goal of reducing economy-wide greenhouse gas pollution in 2030 by as much as 52 percent from 2005 levels.