On Nov. 9, 2020, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the solar topics for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) funding program for fiscal year 2021. Through SBIR/STTR, small businesses can receive up to $200,000 to engage in high-risk, innovative research and development with the potential for commercialization. Successful awardees can then receive up to $1.1 million for prototype development.
DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office is hosting an informational webinar on Thursday, Nov. 19, at 1 p.m. ET to discuss the solar energy SBIR/STTR topics. DOE is seeking projects that advance early-stage ideas in the following topics:
- Floating Solar-Powered Aeration Systems
- Solar Systems Resilient to Weather-Related or Cyber Threats
- Innovation in Solar Aesthetics for Residential Photovoltaic Systems
- Commercial and Industrial Solar Systems
- Agricultural Solar Systems
- Components for Generation 3 Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power (Gen3 CSP) Thermal Transport Systems
- Affordability, Reliability, and Performance of Solar Technologies
- Conductivity-Enhanced Materials for Affordable, Breakthrough Leapfrog Electric and Thermal Applications (CABLE): Electrical Connections for Photovoltaic Modules and Systems Subtopic.
Additionally, there are two technology transfer opportunities, which are designed to transfer a patented technology from a national lab to a small business for commercialization:
- Method for Mechanical Load Testing of Photovoltaic (PV) Modules with Concurrently Applied Stressors and Diagnostic Methods
- Nanocomposite Barrier Films for PV Applications.
Mandatory letters of intent are due Jan. 4, 2021, at 5 p.m. ET. Learn more about the solar topics, and register here for this week’s informational webinar.
