Local Tech Wire 

State gives green-tech grants to 18 small firms

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Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Beverly Perdue says 18 small North Carolina companies will receive federal stimulus grants to spur development in green technology.

Perdue announced Wednesday that each company will receive grants up to $100,000 to develop and market green and alternative energy technologies.

The Office of the Governor estimates that more than 200 jobs will be created by the grants, covering 18 counties.

Half of the grant projects focused on environmentally conscious technology and renewable energy. The other half targeted green building and biofuels development.

The companies receiving the grants, the amounts and their projects are:

Algaen Corporation, Clemmons -- $52,808

Concurrent production of biodiesel and treatment of animal wastewater using oil-rich microalgae

Using animal wastewater to provide nutrients to cultivate algae for biodiesel production. In the process, the wastewater will be purified by the algae.

Alganomics, LLC, Southport -- $59,500

Algae to bioproducts commercialization

Commercializing potential byproducts of biofuel production, including fertilizer, animal feed, and cellulose for ethanol productions, medical-grade agar, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals.

American Carolina Lighting, Penrose -- $50,000

Energy-efficient electronic ballasts and commercial/industrial lighting fixtures

Commercializing a patented electronic ballast for industrial high-intensity lighting that has been demonstrated to save 30 percent to 65 percent more energy than current ballasts.

Biomass Marketing Associates, LLC, Hobgood -- $100,000

Development of additional renewable energy component for gasification units

Developing a system to capture heat produced from gasification of biological waste, and using that energy to heat water.

Builders of Hope, Chapel Hill -- $95,000

State Street Village

Developing a green, affordable community of homes for low-income families in downtown Raleigh. At-risk youth will be trained and employed to work on this project.

Cape Fear Green Building Alliance, Wilmington -- $79,368

Building Performance Workshop Series: Hands-on approach to professional training

Training local builders in green building techniques to improve energy efficiency in homes of economically disadvantaged individuals in partnership with Wilmington Area Rebuilding Ministry (WARM).

Carolina Solar Farms, Raleigh -- $50,000

Large-scale localized power generation development in North Carolina

Constructing multiple large-scale solar farm sites in rural communities in the South East and North East regions of North Carolina.

EcoMaintenance LLC, Elizabeth City -- $75,000

Ecomaintenance: cleans green and trains green

Providing energy efficiency consultations and green cleaning services for homeowners. Ex-offenders will be hired.

FLS Energy, Inc., Asheville -- $95,000

Easy solar kit

Commercializing a do-it-yourself solar hot water kit that saves energy and money for average homeowners.

Haywood Landfill Gas LLC, Matthews -- $100,000

Convert landfill gas to energy

Developing a green energy facility in Haywood County that will convert landfill gas to energy.

High Country Green Box LLC, Boone -- $97,989

A green solution for the affordable housing crisis in North Carolina

Repurposing “Standard International Shipping Units” that are currently being discarded, into energy-efficient modular housing units.

Highland Craftsmen Inc., Spruce Pine -- $31,985

Job training course creates environmentally preferable building product supply chain

Encouraging the use of bark shingles from local, sustainably managed forests to be used as green building material.

Holloman Investing LLC, Wilmington -- $60,000

Mag lift turbines

Commercializing vertical axis wind turbines. Will install turbines, with partners, on commercial facilities in Bladen County.

North Carolina's Northeast Economic Development Foundation Inc., Edenton -- $100,000

Green building technology at a pilot-scale botanical extraction facility for the development of biotech crops and biofuels

Building a LEED-certified business incubator facility for plant biotechnology businesses in Northeastern North Carolina.

PureLux Inc., Winston Salem -- $100,000

PureLux lighting fixture validation and commercialization

Commercializing an energy-efficient lighting system and fixtures for commercial and residential structures.

SBM Solar, Inc., Concord -- $100,000

Production line expansion

Producing a non-glass integrated solar roofing module that permits energy self-sufficiency for commercial and residential buildings.

SunQest, Inc., Newton -- $50,718

Solar thermal enhancement and in-state manufacturing

Commercializing a solar thermal system to heat residential, building, pool and other medium-temperature applications.

WindLift, LLC, Durham -- $82,100

Alpha 3 field system building and testing

Commercializing a kite engine system that generates and delivers energy from wind power.

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