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Three projects receive a total of $450k for geothermal technology development work

Three projects receive a total of $450k for geothermal technology development work Geothermal plant, Salton Sea/ California (source: flickr/ monikomad, creative commons)
Alexander Richter 29 Jun 2019

Three projects by companies and groups in the U.S. and New Zealand have received up to USD 150k each in funding for work on commercialisation of promising geothermal energy technologies.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced over $24 million in funding for 77 projects supported by the Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF). With matching funds from the private sector, these projects will advance the commercialization of promising energy technologies and strengthen partnerships between DOE’s National Laboratories and private sector companies to deploy these technologies to the marketplace.

Of that three geothermal projects received a total of USD 450,000 in funding.

  • Ultra-Fast and – Thick Boriding of Geothermal Casing to Enhance Reliability, $150,000 – Controlled Thermal Resources Inc., El Centro, California
  • Computer Programs for Analysis of Thermally Reactive Tracer Tests in Geothermal Reservoirs, $150,000 – Geothermal Scientific Inc., Tustin, California, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Denver, Colorado, Ormat Inc., Reno, Nevada.
  • Extending Magnetic Core Shell Nanoparticle Extraction Technology to Cesium and Antimony Removal from Geothermal Brines in New Zealand, $150,000 – GEO40 Limited, Taupo, New Zealand

“Technology transfer is an essential component of our mission at DOE, helping ensure we deliver the maximum return on the investment of the American taxpayer, said U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry. “Through the Technology Commercialization Fund, we are connecting entrepreneurs in the private sector with researchers at our National Labs to help deliver the innovations and technologies that will keep our nation secure, competitive, and energy abundant.”

“Working alongside the private sector through initiatives like the Technology Commercialization Fund ensures our innovators in the National Labs are plugged into the engine of our economy, American business,” said Chief Commercialization Officer and OTT Director Conner Prochaska. “The TCF creates an effective pathway to putting these lab-derived technologies to work and helps to maximize the impact of our research investment for the benefit of the entire nation.”

Secretary Perry has championed the Department’s commercialization and technology transfer activities by further empowering OTT to execute its mission across the entirety of the DOE research enterprise. To lead this effort, the Secretary named Conner Prochaska DOE’s first Chief Commercialization Officer, who also serves as OTT Director.

The TCF was created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to promote promising energy technologies. The TCF selections announced today will expand DOE’s efforts to catalyze the commercial impact of the Department’s portfolio of research, development, demonstration, and deployment activities.

OTT was established in 2015 to advance the economic, energy, and national security interests of the United States by expanding the commercial impact of the Department of Energy’s research and development portfolio.

DOE received over 160 applications for 2019 TCF funding, with project teams engaging more than 90 different partners across multiple diverse disciplines. Teams must receive a 50 percent match of non-federal funds from private partners to receive a TCF award.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy