Three More Michigan Winners Of Solar Energy Funding
Tuesday, we reported that Dow Chemical Co. won a $12.8 million federal grant to make building-integrated photovoltaic generation more affordable.
Now, we learn that three other Michigan organizations won an additional $3.7 million in funding under the same program.
Funded under the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy SunShot Initiative, the grants went to projects that improve materials, manufacturing processes, and supply chains for a wide range of photovoltaic solar cells and other components of solar energy systems.
The Michigan Economic Development Corp. said the fact that Michigan came in third of all the states in terms of the total amount awarded is further proof that Michigan's companies and universities are leaders in advanced energy technology.
State officials say the funding will help spur the growth of innovative energy technology, create jobs and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
The three organizations to receive awards are:
* Cascade Engineering, Grand Rapids, $602,623: Racking system for commercial rooftops using polymers.
* Raymond Tinnerman Manufacturing, Rochester Hills, $1.67 million: Bracket system for commercial rooftop installations.
* University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, $1.5 million: Next generation of organic PV technology using small-molecule systems incorporated into a tandem architecture.
The SunShot Initiative seeks to make solar energy systems more cost-competitive, without long-term subsidies, by reducing the cost of these systems about 75 percent by the end of the decade. The achievement of the SunShot Initiative goals will encourage rapid, widespread adoption of solar energy systems across the United States.
DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy invests in clean energy technologies that strengthen the economy, protect the environment, and reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.
