The US Department of Energy (DOE) in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Energy (MOE) and the Israel Innovation Authority announced $4.8 million for five newly selected energy projects.
The funding comes as part of the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy program.
The approved projects will leverage cost-share for a total project value of $10.5 million in the areas of hydrogen storage, advanced biofuels, sustainable transportation, and energy efficiency.
The announcement represents the ninth annual selection of BIRD Energy projects, which promote energy innovation, economic security, and bilateral cooperation.
“The BIRD Foundation has served as a matchmaker to develop partnerships between U.S. and Israeli researchers at the forefront of technology across the industrial spectrum. This kind of collaboration will be mutually beneficial and allow both countries to achieve their economic and energy security goals,” said Secretary of Energy Rick Perry.
BIRD Energy began in 2009 as a result of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.
Since then, BIRD Energy has funded 37 projects with a total investment of about $30 million, including the five selected projects just announced.
The program encourages cooperation between Israeli and American companies through funding joint research and development in a range of technologies, including solar, wind, biofuels, energy storage, fuel cells, smart grid, and water and energy efficiency.
During the last seven years, four BIRD Energy projects have reached the commercialization stage, including a self-powered wireless sensor for monitoring energy use in buildings, a new enzyme for the production of biodiesel, a utility scale solar concentrated photovoltaic system employing a new active cooling module, and a new system to facilitate wind speed and power output forecasting for wind generation.
The five approved projects that were subject to the latest approval are:
• Brenmiller Energy Ltd. (Rosh Ha’ayin, Israel) and Power Authority of the State of New York (White Plains, New York) – will develop high temperature storage based in combined heat and power (CHP).
• CelDezyner Ltd. (Rehovot, Israel) and AdvanceBio LLC (Milford, Ohio) – will develop a process for production of ethanol from lignocellulosic feedstocks.
• QDM Ltd. (Rehovot, Israel) and ALD NanoSolutions Inc. (Broomfield, Colorado) – will develop 3rd generation high-temperature superconducting (HTS) cables.
• SoftWheel Ltd. (Tel Aviv, Israel) and Detroit Bikes (Detroit, Michigan) – will develop an energy-efficient, low-maintenance, high-performance bicycle.
• TerraGenic Ltd. (Kadima, Israel) and Triton Systems, Inc. (Chelmsford, Massachusetts) – will develop a safe hydrogen transport and storage system.
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