Energy Department Announces $6 Million In Awards To Bring Energy-Saving Innovations To Market
January 31, 2000
NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:Chris Kielich, 202/586-5806
Magnets for Motors, Laser Sensors that Detect Natural Gas Leaks, Ceramic Turbine Wheels
Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson announced today that more than $6 million is being awarded in grants to help advance energy efficient, environmentally clean production technologies. Thirty-two projects were competitively selected from 400 proposals.
"The projects receiving grants from the Department of Energy (DOE) today will help industries use less energy, lower production costs and reduce pollution," said Secretary Richardson.
Among the projects selected for funding today are:
o5 a frequency-selective glass material that will be used in cars and buildings to minimize direct solar heating and glare that could result in significant energy savings by minimizing heating and cooling requirements;
- a laser sensor to detect natural gas and petroleum leaks at stations and refineries, resulting in significant energy savings and annual cost savings of $1 million - $2 million per refinery;
- a method to expand the use of magnets in high-temperature applications, resulting in increased motor efficiency;
- a process to improve the performance of high-octane gasoline;
- a ceramic turbine wheel for use in gas-powered turbines that improves cost effectiveness by 15 percent, while reducing the use of fossil fuels; and
- an innovative natural gas industrial furnace that could save up to 70 percent in natural gas fuel.
One group of these projects is funded by DOE's National Industrial Competitiveness through Energy, Environment and Economics (NICE3). The NICE3 awards total $10,236,607 and are cost-shared with a state-industry partnership. The federal government is awarding $3,804,097 and industry is contributing $6,432,510. The other group of projects is funded by DOE's Inventions and Innovation (I&I) program. The I&I grants total $3,584,625.
The Energy Department's NICE3 program was established in 1991 to encourage industry to reduce energy use and waste at its source by providing grants through state agencies. This year's eight NICE3 awardees will be granted up to $525,000 each for their energy-related technology demonstrations. The grants help U.S. companies overcome regulatory, economic and other barriers by demonstrating and commercializing innovative, energy-saving technologies. To increase awareness of the technologies, DOE, state offices and industrial partners will disseminate information about all funded projects nationwide.
This year's 24 I&I awardees will be granted up to $200,000 each for their energy-related inventions. Over the past 20 years, the I&I program has funded more than 500 inventions with nearly 25 percent of them reaching the marketplace. These have achieved cumulative sales of nearly $710 million with energy savings of 600 trillion Btu - enough energy to fuel every car in Pennsylvania for a full year. The program assists inventors and entrepreneurs to bring their energy-saving ideas and technologies to the marketplace by locating technical partners, commercial sponsors and additional funding sources.
The NICE3 and I&I programs support the Energy Department's Industries of the Future (IOF) initiative which promotes energy efficiency in partnership with nine of the most energy-intensive U.S. industries -- agriculture, aluminum, chemicals, forest products, glass, metalcasting, mining, petroleum and steel.
The Department of Energy researches, develops and deploys clean, efficient and renewable energy technologies to help meet America's energy needs while protecting the environment and strengthening the economy. Energy technologies supported and promoted by the department will play a key role in providing Clean Energy for the 21st Century.
I&I and NICE3 Awardees
Inventions and Innovation awardees
|
Invention |
Inventor & Location |
Funding Amount |
|
Germanium Compounds as Highly Selective Fluorination Catalysts |
Starmet Corporation, Concord, MA |
$40,000 |
|
Development of Phosphors for Use in High-Efficiency Lighting and Displays |
Brilliant Technologies Inc., Corvallis, OR |
$40,000 |
|
Novel Ceramic Composition for Hall-Heroult Cell Anode Application |
Advanced Refractory
Technologies Inc., |
$39,989 |
|
Functionally Graded Materials for Improved High Temperature Performance of Nd-Fe-B Based Permanent Magnets |
Iowa State
University, |
$39,948 |
|
Improved Alkylation Contactor |
VHP Inc., Bountiful, UT |
$40,000 |
|
Low Cost Synthesis and Consolidation of TiC |
University of Idaho,
Institute of Materials & Advanced Processes (IMAP), |
$40,000 |
|
Iron-Aluminum Alloys for High Efficiency Energy Applications |
Magna-Tech P/M Labs, Cinnaminson, NJ |
$40,000 |
|
Novel Frequency-Selective Solar Glazing System |
Orion Engineering Inc., Westford, MA |
$40,000 |
|
A Ceramic Composite Die for Metal Casting |
MER Corporation, Tucson, AZ |
$40,000 |
|
Electrochemical Method for Extraction Of Oxygen From Air |
James Mulvihill and Associates, Morgan, PA |
$40,000 |
|
Energy Saving Method for Producing Ethylene Glycol and Propylene Glycol |
Gallatin Research, Bend, OR |
$40,000 |
|
Improved Refractories Using Engineered Particles |
Powdermet
Inc., |
$40,000 |
|
Enabling Tool for Innovative Glass Applications |
Michigan Technological University, Institute of Materials Processing, Houghton, MI |
$40,000 |
|
Laser Sensor for Optimization of Compressor Stations and Refinery Operations |
LaSen Inc., Las Cruces, NM |
$199,632 |
|
Titanium Matrix Composite Tooling Material for Enhanced Manufacture of Aluminum Die Castings |
Dynamet Technology, Inc., Burlington, MA |
$199,984 |
|
An Insoluble Titanium-Lead Anode for Sulfate Electrolytes |
Materials and
Electrochemical Research (MER) Corporation, |
$200,000 |
|
Development of an Innovative Energy Efficient High Temperature Natural Gas-Fired Furnace |
Procedyne
Corp., |
$199,361 |
|
A New High Temperature Coating for Gas Turbines |
Turbine Coating
Inc., |
$200,000 |
|
Tough-Coated Hard Powders (TCHP's): A New Paradigm in Mining and Machining Tool Materials |
EnDurAloy Corporation, Savannah, GA |
$200,000 |
|
A New Energy Saving Method of Manufacturing Ceramic Products from Waste Glass |
Haun Labs, Santa Rosa, CA |
$199,977 |
|
Distillation Column Flooding Predictor |
Mr. George
Dzyacky, |
$52,900 |
|
Energy Saving Lightweight Refractory |
Silicon Carbide Products Inc., Horseheads, NY |
$158,041 |
|
High Intensity Silicon Vertical Multi-Junction Solar Cells |
PhotoVolt
Inc., |
$142,900 |
|
Fabrication and Testing of a Prototype Ceramic Furnace Coil |
FM Technologies Inc., Fairfax, VA |
$199,853 |
NICE3 awardees
|
Technology |
Industrial Partner, State Agency, and Location |
Funding Amount |
|
Precision Irrigation Technologies for the Agricultural Industry |
Colorado Corn Administrative Committee, Colorado Office of Energy Management, Lakewood, CO |
$455,000 |
|
Energy Conserving Tool For Combustion Dependent Industries |
Advanced Fuel Research Inc., Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Hartford, CT |
$304,867 |
|
Energy-Saving Regeneration of Hydrochloric Acid Pickling Liquor |
Green Technology Group, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Sharon, CT |
$475,231 |
|
Ceramic Turbine Wheel Technology Provides Economic, Efficiency and Environmental Enhancements to Microturbines |
AlliedSignal Power Systems Inc., California Energy Commission, Torrance, CA |
$524,673 |
|
Supercritical Fluid Purification of Combi-Chem Libraries |
Berger Instruments Inc., Delaware Economic Development Office, Newark, DE |
$500,000 |
|
Full-Scale 100 Ton/hr. Demonstration of Magnetic Elutriation Technology For Clean and Efficient Processing of Iron Ore |
5R Research Inc., Minnesota Department of Public Service, St. Paul, MN |
$500,000 |
|
Demonstration of a Three-Phase Rotary Separator Turbine |
Douglas Energy Company, California Energy Commission, Placentia, CA |
$519,326 |
|
Reducing Foundry Emissions and Green Sand Waste Via Integrated Advanced Oxidation-Underwater Plasma Processing |
Advanced Cast Products Inc., Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Meadville, PA |
$525,000 |
- DOE -
R-00-021