The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released the 2012 topics for its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) upcoming funding opportunity, which includes “Clean Biomass Cookstove Technologies.” The DOE's SBIR program is designed to support innovation and technology development by small businesses for energy production and use. Grants are awarded in 2 phases: Phase I awards are up to $100,000 for about 9 months. Only Phase I winners are eligible for Phase II, with awards up to $750,000 over 2 years.
The DOE is seeking grant applications for:
- Development of innovative affordable biomass cookstoves that reduce emissions by at least 90% and reduce fuel use by at least 50% compared to traditional biomass-fueled cookstoves and open fires used in many areas of developing countries. This level of performance should be robust under a wide range of fuel and operating conditions. Controls, sensors, and/or fans that lead to significant performance improvements and/or cost reductions also fall under this area.
- Instruments to improve field testing and monitoring of stove performance and usage. Instruments should be affordable, reliable, durable, and user-friendly, while providing real-time measurements of stove use, efficiency, emissions, and/or exposures.
Who can participate? A small business is one that at the time of award:
- Is organized for profit, with a place of business located in the United States, which operates primarily within the United States or which makes a significant contribution to the United States economy through payment of taxes or use of American products, materials or labor.
- Is in the legal form of an individual proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company, corporation, joint venture, association, trust or cooperative, except that where the form is a joint venture, there can be no more than 49 percent participation by foreign business entities in the joint venture.
- Is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more individuals who are citizens of, or permanent resident aliens in, the United States, except in the case of a joint venture, where each entity to the venture must be 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more individuals who are citizens of, or permanent resident aliens in, the United States.
- Has, including its affiliates, not more than 500 employees and meets the other regulatory requirements found in 13 CFR Part 121. Business concerns, other than investment companies licensed, or state development companies qualifying under the Small Business Investment Act of 1958, 15 U.S.C. 661, et seq., are affiliates of one another when either directly or indirectly, (a) one concern controls or has the power to control the other; or (b) a third-party/parties controls or has the power to control both.
More information on the SBIR/STTR program, including details on eligible projects and a timeline for Phase 1 are available at this website: http://science.energy.gov/sbir/funding-opportunities/fy12phase1_release2...