The Government is providing funding for small USA businesses for “green” technology development to help them compete with Chinese companies.

Grants totalling $37 million in funding from the Department of Energy are available to small US businesses that have up to 500 employees to develop and apply technology which reduces greenhouse gas emissions. 

Companies with research capacity in science or engineering are invited to apply for a share of the funds. 

Applications in a number of areas are being invited including: building air conditioning and refrigeration, efficient water use in electricity generation, cooling of power plants, gas turbines, wireless networks, solar technology, and more efficient manufacturing processes. 

Application must be submitted by September 4 and successful companies can receive up to $150,000 to use towards providing a demonstration of the commercial benefits of their technology. 

In the field of solar power, the Chinese are the current leading player, particularly in the US market, where they have reduced the cost of solar panels by 50% in the last year. There is currently an oversupply of solar panels, and the largest Chinese manufacturer is selling them at below the cost of production and transport in the US to capture market share. 

Clean energy is an industry that receives substantial support in subsidies and cash incentives from the national, state and local Chinese governments and Chinese companies are about to build factories in the US to avoid tariff penalties. 

IMS Research reports that the solar power industry had record sales growth in 2007 and shipments of solar power equipment increased by 81% in the second quarter of 2009, over the previous quarter. 

The total stimulus funding for green energy in the US is over $61 billion but it is thought that it will take at least 5 years to catch up to the Chinese in this field. 

Small businesses in the USA need all the assistance they can get in the current depressed economic conditions and we help by having them found in an online local search with our business directory portal which provides them with qualified prospects at no cost to them.

 

Monte Huebsch, CEO.