On Sept. 3, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy announced awards totaling $142 million for small businesses in 34 states. This funding includes $3.4 million for three projects funded by the Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office.
Industrial Efficiency & Decarbonization Office
September 3, 2024
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Office: Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office
Available Funding: $3.4 million
FOA Number: DE-FOA-0003279
Description
On Sept. 3, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy announced awards totaling $142 million for small businesses in 34 states. The 123 projects to be funded address multiple mission-critical areas important for the nation, including renewable energy and energy efficiency, cybersecurity and grid reliability, fusion energy, and nuclear nonproliferation.
This funding includes $3.3 million for Phase II research and development for three projects funded by the Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO), within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.
Through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, IEDO provides non-dilutive funding to small business research and development projects that improve and drive industrial electrification and energy efficiency.
Selected Projects
Award and cost share amounts are subject to change pending negotiations.
Awardee: Creekside Environmental Products
Location: Starkville, Mississippi
Federal Funding: $1.15 million
Project Description: Creekside Environmental Products Inc. is developing innovative per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-free, oil/grease, and water-resistant molded fiber products tailored for food packaging applications, addressing significant challenges within the industry. They have pioneered an innovative method, leveraging nanotechnology to enhance the oil/grease and water-resistant properties of lignocellulosic fiber-based tableware containers. Phase I of their research successfully produced water-resistant tableware. Further enhancement of oil and grease resistance was achieved through the incorporation of cellulose nanofibers. Phase II marks a pivotal step for Creekside Environmental Products LLC as they aim to scale up this technology and commence pilot-scale production of oil/grease and water-resistant molded fiber tableware. Thorough testing will be conducted to evaluate tableware performance and ensure compliance with industry regulations and market standards. This groundbreaking technology represents a significant advancement in the industry, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastic and PFAS-based tableware.
Awardee: SkyVision Sciences, LLC
Location: Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Federal Funding: $1.15 million
Project Description: Toward attaining a net-zero carbon process for producing ammonia, concepts have been proposed using renewable solar or wind energy to operate water electrolyzers feeding hydrogen to Haber-Bosch reactors. However, with low 10%–15% conversions, this approach meets net-zero carbon targets but inefficiently produces ammonia, requiring larger and costlier plants to meet demand. SkyVision Sciences, LLC proposes a new process to produce an ammonia fertilizer directly on farms powered by renewable energy. In Phase I, SkyVision Sciences developed an electrochemical synthesis method that produces ammonia from water and air powered by renewable energy. Additionally, Phase I demonstrated new catalyst designs applied to a novel reactor that helps form ammonia. In Phase II, SkyVision Sciences will optimize this electrochemical ammonia reactor and package it into a refrigerator size unit that operates with intermittent renewable energy sources, forming ammonia over time for use as a fertilizer. The main benefit of this compact ammonia fertilizer generator is that it will operate autonomously with renewable energy, forming both ammonia and hydrogen for energy storage. Hydrogen can be used as a fuel directly on farms replacing common practices of combusting propane, further mitigating emissions.
Awardee: Mainstream Engineering Corporation
Location: Rockledge, Florida
Federal Funding: $1.10 million
Project Description: Desire for low-cost and corrosion-resistant heat exchangers has driven development of polymer heat exchangers over several decades, but these approaches are typically limited by materials with low thermal conductivity. Mainstream proposes increasing polymer thermal conductivity of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) to achieve metallic-like conductivities without expensive particle or processing steps. In Phase I, they developed a process to increase thermal conductivity of UHMWPE while retaining practical fin thickness, achieving a heat exchanger design that is 47% smaller than a commercial-off-the-shelf polymer heat exchanger and only slightly larger than a metallic heat exchanger under equivalent heat load. In Phase II, Mainstream will refine the design and manufacturing process from Phase I to design, fabricate, and test an UHMWPE heat exchanger for use in an industrial heat pump. Heat pumps represent an important technology pathway for industrial heat energy efficiency. Mainstream’s work in developing an inexpensive polymer-based heat exchanger can reduce upfront funds required for commissioning heat pumps, which strengthens the financial case for deployment of this energy efficiency technology.
More Information
For more information about SBIR/STTR and to view a full list of all the projects, visit the science.osti.gov/sbir/awards website.
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