Funding Opportunities
Federal Funding Opportunities:
Federal business Opportunities
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Connecticut Clean Energy Fund
The Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) promotes, develops, and invests in clean energy sources for the benefit of Connecticut ratepayers. CCEF’s programs are funded by a surcharge on residential and commercial electric bills. The fund is overseen by the 15-member Connecticut Clean Energy Fund Board, which approves the overall Comprehensive Plan, policies, programs and funding.
The links below are CCEF's Programs and Funding Opportunities to quickly locate the incentives which most closely match to your particular interests.
* Residents
* Communities
* Educators
* Businesses and Developers
The links below are CCEF's Open Request for Proposals (RFPs)
* Project 150
* On-Site Renewable DG Program
* Operational Demonstration Program -
The Operational Demonstration (Op Demo) Program offers unsecured loans of between $150,000 and $500,000 with favorable repayment terms and requires a minimum 25% cost share. The Program is run as a competitive solicitation with two funding cycles per year. At least two projects are selected each funding cycle.
Source: www.ctinnovations.com
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New Energy Technology Fund
The Office of Policy and Management sponsors a New Energy Technology Fund that helps firms commercialize new energy related technologies by providing $10,000 grants to Connecticut individuals or companies to develop innovative energy-saving and renewable energy technologies. In addition to the grants, guidance is provided to introduce the new technologies to market, obtain technical and financial information including the identification of potential industry partners, and identify other state and federally sponsored programs.
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Connecticut Department of Public Utility Control
Capital Grants for Customer-Side Distributed Generation
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Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has received approximately $234,000 in federal funding to reduce diesel emissions in the state. DEP is looking for proposals from municipalities, organizations and individuals for diesel reduction projects that are environmentally and economically beneficial, while having the ability to be initiated promptly and completed quickly.
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Connecticut SBIR Initiatives
The Connecticut Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Office, an initiative of CCAT, recently sponsored a pilot program designed to promote emerging nanotechnologies and new product development by small businesses in Connecticut. Over the past year, three awards to local companies were granted at a level of $65,000 each in seed money to advance fuel cell technologies and nanotechnologies using novel approaches. This competitive award was modeled after the national SBIR program in which federal agencies identify problems or “topics” that can be solved by small businesses and entrepreneurs through advanced research for the development of innovative, next-generation products.
The Connecticut SBIR Office at CCAT is currently implementing another program to connect Connecticut industry with leading-edge nanotechnology development through the Nanotechnology Fellowship Bridge pilot program. Five projects have been developed involving Connecticut businesses teamed with researchers at Yale University and the University of Connecticut. These Connecticut businesses, including Precision Combustion, Inc., will work with graduate students and professors from Yale University and the University of Connecticut to collaborate in cutting-edge research. The grant money flows to the universities to support graduate and post doctoral students who will work on faculty-led nanotechnology research activities.
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Federal SBIR Activity
Over the past two years, the DOE, DOD and NASA have funded Connecticut companies to conduct applied research in the hydrogen and fuel cell sectors. Phase I SBIR programs are highly competitive with less than 1 in 10 proposed projects being funded. These programs often net $100,000 or less and program activities generally must be completed within a 1 year period. Successful completion of a Phase I activity allows a company to compete for a two year Phase II program. Generally around 50% of the successful Phase I projects are allowed to move forward to a Phase II. These programs range from $250 thousand to $1 million, depending on the specific activity and funding agency. Success in Phase II may lead to larger follow-on R&D support and product acquisition (Phase III) that is drawn from regular agency budgets and provided to the SBIR firm with competitive preference.
The federal SBIR awards made to Connecticut companies for activities related to the generation of hydrogen and the development of fuel cells through Phase I/II programs totaled less than $2 million in the aggregate in each of 2005 and 2006 for hydrogen and fuel cell development activity. In 2007, there were four Phase I awards to Connecticut companies totaling approximately $400,000.
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Additional Federal and State Incentives
The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy (DSIRE) (Connecticut)
Federal Grants relating to Hydrogen Grants.gov
Federal Grants relating to Fuel Cells Grants.gov
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AN ACT CONCERNING ENERGY INDEPENDENCE
Public Act 05-1, June 2005 Special Session—HB 7501
SUMMARY: This act establishes several initiatives to reduce costs associated with congestion on the electric transmission system. It creates incentives for customers for installing “distributed resources” on their premises. These resources include small- and medium-size generating facilities and conservation and load management measures. The incentives include capital- and operating-cost subsidies and the provision of long-term financing. The act also provides awards to electric companies for their efforts in connection with the installation of these resources.
(Source: Office of Legislative Research)
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