Advanced energy grants awarded in Northwest Ohio

Toledo Business Journal, May 2008

The Ohio Third Frontier Commission has awarded more than $12 million in grants to 17 entities to accelerate the development and growth of the advanced energy industry in Ohio.

"By strategically focusing Ohio Third Frontier resources toward the development of advanced energy technologies, we can begin to unleash the economic potential for this emerging industry," stated Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher, chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission and director of the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD). "These Ohio Third Frontier investments exemplify the Strickland / Fisher administration's unwavering commitment to growth in Ohio's advanced energy industry sector while recognizing our need for energy independence and conservation."

Awards for advanced energy were selected from the wind, solar, alternative fuel, energy storage and instruments, controls, and electronics sectors. Two awards were in northwest Ohio.

2008 Third Frontier Advanced Energy Award for Alternative Fuels Technologies

The University of Toledo (UT) was awarded $250,000 for its Novel Cellulosic Biomass Fermentation Process for Ethanol Production project. UT has developed and patented a fermentation process using technology to ferment both glucose and xylose sugars. UT will conduct additional research to optimize the design and performance of the enzyme, develop enzymes for different feed stocks, incorporate a novel biomass pre-treatment process, and develop suitable yeast strains for fermentation. A complete performance evaluation and economic analysis will be conducted.

2008 Third Frontier Advanced Energy Award for Solar Technologies

Toledo-based Xunlight 26 Solar, LLC, a subsidiary of Xunlight Corporation, was awarded $996,924 for its Flexible Thin-Film CdTe PV Modules project. This project is aimed at developing building-integrated, rooftop photovoltaic systems based on lightweight modules on transparent polymer materials. Using technologies developed in Ohio, Xunlight 26 Solar will develop small area cells with greater than 10% efficiency; encapsulate the cells and modules and conduct accelerated life tests of the modules; and scale-up the manufacturing capability and design a production line.