Tag Archives: recovery act

Washington Wants Your Help on Clean Energy Development

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Whether you agree or disagree with Washington’s approach to trying to rejuvenate the economy (referring to Recovery Act, stimulus and the like), one thing is clear. When the government is making money available, businesses would be foolish to at least not take a look to see if they could benefit.

The latest entry in that category comes from the Department of Energy (DOE), which last week announced $30 million in funding to help commercialize clean energy technologies. These are really first-time Phase III grants under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. If you’ve worked with the government funds before on clean energy projects, here’s the chance to do more — up to $3 million over three years.

The deadline for submission of applications is August 4. Learn more at the DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy site. Here are the specific areas where the agency wants to invest:

Biomass Technologies

  • Harvesting/Dewatering Technology for Algal Biofuels Production.

Buildings Technologies

  • Transitional Technology for Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs)
  • SSL Products made from Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs)
  • "Core" Technology for Organic Light Emitting Diodes (OLEDs) 

Fuel Cell Technologies

  • Advanced Materials for Fuel Cell Technologies
  • Bio-Fueled Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
     

Geothermal Technologies –  High Temperature Tools and Sensors 

  • High Temperature Downhole Tools 
  • High-Temperature-High-Volume Lifting  
  • High Temperature Downhole MWD Tools for Directional Drilling
     

Industrial Technologies

  • Sensors and Controls  
  • Industrial Membrane Process Systems   
  • Advanced Materials 
  • Integrated Reaction-Separation using non-thermal processes
  • Mitigation of Heat Losses, Fouling, and Scaling in key Manufacturing Unit Operations. 
     

Solar Technologies – Lowering the Cost of Photovoltaics through Innovative Augmentation

  • Lightweight, Flexible and Low Cost Multi-junction Solar Cells
  • Static Module PV Concentrators
  • New Methods of Crystallizing Silicon

Vehicle Technologies

  • Technologies to Address Internal Heating in DC Bus Capacitors
  • Improved Magnetic Materials for Motors
  • Advanced Materials for Lightweight Vehicles
     

Wind Technologies

  • Advanced Wind Power Technologies and Systems  
     

Fossil Energy

  • Pollution control
  • Advanced power systems
  • Stationary power fuel cells
  • Clean fuels
  • Carbon sequestration
  • Recovery of oil, natural gas, and methane hydrates
  • Advances in materials, sensors, monitors, controls, biotechnology, and computational processes
     

Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability

  • Smart Grid Technologies and Systems
  • Electric Transmission Technologies
  • Superconducting Technology for Power Equipment 
  • Advanced Materials for Power Electronics and Energy Storage
     

Nuclear Energy

  • Advanced Instrumentation and Control, Radiation Resistant Sensors, and Wireless On-Line Monitoring Systems for Nuclear Power Plant Applications 

Gerard: Democrats Hoping to Capitalize on 2008 Momentum

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RJ Gerard is communications director for the Indiana Democratic Party.

Indiana went Democratic blue in 2008 for the first time in 40 years because like the rest of America, Hoosiers wanted change. The Indiana Democratic delegation has worked feverishly to bring that change to Indiana. And while the upcoming primaries should not bring any significant surprises for Democrats, the Indiana Democratic Party is poised to field a solid slate of candidates from federal to local elections this fall.

Democrats are keenly focused on holding on to all of their Congressional seats at the federal level, and feel it’s critical to maintain control of the Indiana State House of Representatives. Equally important is the Indiana U.S. Senate race, which will be in the national spotlight with former Vanderburgh County Sheriff and U.S. Congressman Brad Ellsworth working hard to replace retiring Sen. Evan Bayh.

Hoosiers saw change become reality with the passing of health care and insurance reform. Showing courage and leadership, all Hoosier Democratic members of Congress, including Sen. Bayh, voted for the measure, while the entire Republican delegation voted against it.

This one issue provides insight into this upcoming election; whether to continue on the path of hope and change, or turn back to the failed policies of the past.

Repealing health care reform would be disastrous for Hoosier families; 820,000 Indiana residents would lose health care, 76,800 small businesses would lose existing tax credits and appalling insurance practices of the past – such as denying coverage due to preexisting conditions – would be reinstated.

Let us not forget that it was the Republican Party, during eight years of GOP control, that turned record surpluses into record deficits and favored the special interests and lobbyists over the interests of ordinary Hoosiers.

Even today, Hoosier Republicans are still standing with Wall Street and opposing the reforms that would protect Americans and prevent future bailouts. To the contrary, Indiana Democrats are looking out for Hoosier families and demanding accountability from Wall Street.

In response to these failed Republican policies of the past, President Obama and Hoosier Democrats have provided tax cuts to 95 percent of working Americans through the Recovery Act, tax cuts to small businesses and instituted polices that are helping to get our deficit under control, turn our economy around and create jobs.

The Indiana GOP and its candidates represent the failed ideas of the past. The time for change has come. Hoosier Democrats are working diligently to make sure it happens.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Out of respect for our guest bloggers, we will not be allowing anonymous comments on their blogs this week. Additionally, the Indiana Chamber does not necessarily share the opinions of our guest bloggers.