WASHINGTON, DC — Small businesses developing near-term cleantech solutions to improve energy, water and manufacturing efficiency at facilities are eligible for Recovery Act funds totaling $37 million from the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Recovery Act money is available through the DOE's Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs, Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced Thursday.

U.S. firms with fewer than 500 employees qualify as a small business, and the DOE is encouraging ones with strong science or engineering research capabilities to apply for the R&D grants.

Grant applications are being accepted for energy efficiency innovations involving:

• Advanced building air conditioning and refrigeration, thermal load shifting, and cool roofs
• Water usage in electric power generation and industrial processes
• Power plant cooling
• Advanced gas turbines and materials
• Sensors, controls, and wireless networks
• Advanced water power technology development
• Smart controllers for smart grid applications
• Advanced solar technologies
• Advanced industrial technologies development
• Advanced manufacturing processes

About $8.5 million is expected to be set aside for new "Phase I" awards -- as much as $150,000 to demonstrate concept feasibility within a six-month period.

The grant application deadline is September 4, 2009. More information on the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer programs is available at www.science.doe.gov/sbir. Information about how to apply for a grant is available from www.grants.gov.

Image courtesy of NREL.