FISHER ANNOUNCES $9 MILLION FOR ADVANCED ENERGY GRANTS
COLUMBUS, OHIO (December 12, 2008) - Lieutenant Governor Lee Fisher today announced that more than $9 million in grants have been awarded to 10 entities to accelerate the development and growth of the advanced energy industry in Ohio. The funds were awarded through the Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program and are contingent upon State Controlling Board approval.
"By strategically focusing Ohio Third Frontier resources toward the development of advanced energy technologies, we are unleashing the economic potential for this rapidly emerging industry," said Lt. Governor Fisher, who also serves as Director of the Ohio Department of Development and Chair of the Ohio Third Frontier Commission. "These Ohio Third Frontier investments represent our commitment to the growth of Ohio's advanced energy sectors while recognizing our need for energy independence and conservation."
The awards are as follows:
2009 Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Awards for Wind Technologies
Parker Hannifin Corporation, located in Cleveland (Cuyahoga County), was awarded $1 million for its Ohio Wind Turbine Brake Commercialization project. Parker Hannifin will commercialize a modular high-speed shaft (HSS) brake for wind turbines based on its industry-leading helicopter brake technology produced at Parker's Aircraft Wheel and Brake Division in Avon. The project will include assessments of both hydraulic and electric brake concepts and the construction of prototypes of each for evaluation by wind turbine manufacturers collaborating in the project. Three prototype hydraulic brake systems will be built for GE Wind for installation on GE's 1.5MW wind turbine. The electric brake technology product launch is projected for 2010.
WebCore Technologies, Inc., located in Miamisburg (Montgomery County), was awarded $1 million for its Commercialization of TYCOR Composite Material for its Wind Turbine Blades project. WebCore Technologies will commercialize TYCOR in targeted Original Equipment Manufacturer's wind turbine blades. TYCOR is a fiber reinforced polymer composite material that can replace balsa wood or PVC foam currently used by blade manufacturers. The work plan involves scaling up the manufacturing process to meet the market demand, developing a material supply chain and obtaining international standards and quality certifications.
2009 Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Awards for Solar Technologies
Xunlight Corporation, located in Toledo (Lucas County), was awarded $995,577 for its Online Performance Measurement for Roll-to-Roll Thin Film Photovoltaic Manufacturing project. Xunlight will improve the product yield by developing a QA/QC system for online characterization of materials and solar cells on its first production line for flexible thin film photovoltaic modules. The 25 megawatt (MW) line will be completed during the first quarter of 2009. The manufacturing process instrumentation in this project will permit measurement of the film thickness and measurement of the current/voltage of the solar cell as it is produced. This process control instrumentation will be replicated on future Xunlight lines further increasing its value.
Tremco Incorporated, located in Beachwood (Cuyahoga County), was awarded $1 million for its Tremco BIPV Commercialization project. Tremco will solve the problems encountered with first-generation building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) systems that were single junction, silicon-based, rack-mounted modules. In this project, an easy-to-install and maintain building-integrated photovoltaic system will be developed and tested. It will be code compliant and meet removal requirements of Power Purchase Agreements. Work will be done to select the best membrane and bonding concept and to develop all balance-of-plant components including the electrical system. The photovoltaic modules will be produced by Xunlight Corporation, based in Toledo, and both factory and field lamination processes will be developed to join the thin-film photovoltaic modules to the membrane in a fashion that is removable for maintenance and utilization of Power Purchase Agreements.
SCI Engineered Materials, Inc., located in Columbus (Franklin County), was awarded $708,715 for its Commercialization of Rotatable Ceramic Sputtering Targets for Thin Film Photovoltaic Solar Cell Manufacturing project. SCI Engineered Materials, Inc. will commercialize technologies for the manufacture of rotatable ceramic sputtering targets for the production of transparent conductive oxide-coated (TCO) glass used in manufacturing thin film photovoltaic solar cell panels. The rotatable target consists of a ceramic cylinder, a bonding layer, and a stainless steel mandrel. Specific project tasks include scale-up of the ceramic cylinder forming, the ceramic sintering process, the final machining process, and development of the target bonding process. The cylindrical target will work on glass, stainless, or plastic substrates making it applicable to second generation thin film and third generation dye cells. Optimizing the composition of the coating will allow producers to improve the efficiency of their photovoltaic modules.
2009 Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Awards for End-Use Energy Efficiency Technologies
Global Cooling Manufacturing Company, located in Athens (Athens County), was awarded $1 million for its Advanced Commercial Stirling Cooler Development for Integration into Diverse Market Applications project. Global Cooling Manufacturing (Global) will develop a new Free Piston Stirling Cooler with six times more capacity than its current product. The new unit will be integrated into an ultra-low temperature (ULT) storage freezer capable of reaching temperatures of -85°C and lower. These storage freezers are used in biological sciences, pharmaceuticals, oil testing and other industries. Ohio University in Athens will assist Global with solving heat transport issues and Cleveland State University will provide simulation studies of the gas bearings used in Global Cooling's current system design. Two alpha prototypes will be constructed and tested followed by the production of three beta-level prototypes that will undergo life and reliability testing.
EMTEC, located in Dayton (Montgomery County), was awarded $1 million for its Cooling of High Power Electronic Devices project. EMTEC will provide the fiscal and programmatic oversight. The Ohio State University will support Liebert Corporation in the design, development and manufacture of a new 2-MVA, refrigerant-cooled uninterruptable power supply principally for information technology with future potential for alternative energy systems. The refrigerant cooling improves the available capacity of the UPS electronics increasing overall electric efficiency and allowing significant equipment size reduction. The Ohio State University will also assist in a finite element analysis to be used to develop the specifications for the refrigerant-cooled uninterruptable power supply and evaluate prototype systems that are built.
Industrial Railway Switching & Services (IRSS), Inc., located in Lorain (Lorain County), was awarded $450,000 for its Lean and Green Locomotive project. IRSS will build and commercialize a new switcher-style locomotive prototype. These industrial-sized (~ 1000 hp) locomotives are currently based on 40-year-old technology. They are used to transport materials within the boundaries of industrial plants and to the loading sites of the commercial railroads. IRSS's six-month project will involve stripping an existing General Motors Electric Motor Division locomotive to its bare frame, refurbishing the frame, and rebuilding the locomotive using modernized technology. The new engine to be used is a four-stroke design. Industrial Railway Switching & Services and its collaborators have engineered the other updated components that will be used. Proprietary computer-controlled fuel delivery and monitoring is incorporated into the design, a first in this type of locomotive. The project deliverable, called the Lean and Green Locomotive, will be a completely operational prototype ready for testing by a current IRSS customer, U.S. Steel, at its Lorain facility. The project was approved for either Ohio Third Frontier funding or Ohio Job Stimulus Plan funding.
2009 Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Award for Sensors, Controls & Power Management Technologies
Hyper Tech Research, Inc., located in Columbus (Franklin County), was awarded $1 million for its Wires and Coils for Superconducting Fault Current Limiters project. Hyper Tech Research will prove that MgB2 wire can be scaled up from its current 140 – 200 amp capability to a 600-1000 amp capability in a braided cable form. At this scaled level, Rolls-Royce intends to continue its development of a marine and/or distribution voltage superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL). Both Rolls-Royce and the U.S. Department of Energy have been funding Hyper Tech to develop and demonstrate MgB2 wire and based on the success to date have decided to move to a commercial superconducting fault current limiter product. This project would accelerate that commercialization plan by 12 to 18 months. Specific tasks for the Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program project include wire modeling and test work at Ohio State University and development of the coil-winding machine at Hyper Tech. Single strand, three-strand, seven-strand and 19-strand coils will be produced. The Ohio State University will test the resultant superconducting fault current limiters made from the braided coils.
2009 Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Award for Bio-Energy Technologies
SuGanit Systems, Inc., located in Toledo (Lucas County), was awarded $999,900 for its Scale-Up of Cellulosic Ethanol Process Based on Novel Biomass Pretreatment and Efficient Co-Fermentation project. In its current project, SuGanit has demonstrated the ability to convert 1 kg per day of biomass to produce 0.25 kg per day of ethanol in a series of steps demonstrated in a batch configuration. Its ethanol yield was 89 gallons per dry ton of feedstock compared with the 2012 U.S. Department of Energy target of 90 gallons per dry ton. Its reported performance in terms of ethanol yield, projected costs, and residence time was significantly better than competitors. This project will enable SuGanit to construct and operate a complete cellulosic ethanol process that will process 60 kg per day of biomass to produce five gallons per day of ethanol in a continuous process.
The Ohio Third Frontier was initiated in February 2002. This project is the state's largest-ever commitment to expanding Ohio's high-tech research capabilities and promoting innovation and company formation that will create high-paying jobs for generations to come. The 10-year, $1.6 billion initiative is designed to: Build world-class research capacity; Support early stage capital formation and the development of new products; and Finance advanced manufacturing technologies to help existing industries become more productive. Through the Ohio Third Frontier Project, additional federal and private sector support can boost the total investment to more than $6 billion.
The Ohio Third Frontier Advanced Energy Program is designed to help companies in Ohio continue to make technical progress toward the commercialization of advanced energy-related products for future applications. The Advanced Energy Program Funds are made available to support organizations seeking to commercialize new products, manufacturing processes or technologies, or to adapt or modify existing components or systems that can reduce the cost of advanced energy systems or address technical and commercialization barriers.
Working with our partners across business, state and local governments, academia, and the non-profit sector, the Ohio Department of Development works to attract, create, grow, and retain businesses through competitive incentives and targeted investments. Engaged every day in marketing, innovating, investing, and collaborating, the Ohio Department of Development works at the speed of business to accelerate and support the teamwork that is absolutely necessary for success by providing financial, informational, and technical assistance to those making an investment in Ohio's future.
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