CEC Awards Renewable Energy Research Grants

0 Comments | Renewable Energy Today, Sept 17, 2004

The California Energy Commission (CEC) recently announced it has awarded grants of up to $75,000 each to ten small-scale projects to conduct research aimed at reducing the cost of producing electricity, saving energy and improving the environment.

According to the CEC, the grants, which are awarded under the Energy Innovations Small Grant Program, are designed to help support the energy research of small businesses, academic institutions, non-profit organizations and individuals that would not normally qualify for the state's Public Interest Energy Research (PIER) funding.

Funding recipients include United Innovations, Inc. for a device called dielectric light injector to increase the electricity conversion capacity of advanced solar energy concentrators; Hi-Q Products, Inc. for its Mamikon spinner that could potentially increase the electricity yield of small wind turbines; Konarka Technologies, Inc. for the development of "aesthetically pleasing" photovoltaic modules for California applications, to match residential roofing materials; and Lieberman Research Associates of Torrance for research aimed at lowering the cost of storing wind energy.

Contact: CEC, website http://www.energy.ca.gov.

(EIN STAFF: 9/14)