US firms get funding boost for energy-saving products
A multi-million dollar package has been announced by the US Department of Energy for small businesses operating in the green sector.
The DoE's Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer programmes will make $37 (£23 million) million available to companies that qualify under their rules.
While announcing the funding, US energy secretary Steven Chu said that "small businesses are engines of job creation and innovation, and we need their ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit to drive a clean energy economy".
He went on to state that "by helping small businesses bring clean technologies to market, we can create jobs, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and reduce carbon pollution".
Qualifying companies must have fewer than 500 employees and all applications should be with the department by September 4th.
The package comes in the wake of the recent release of more than $119 million from the DoE for state energy programmes in seven states.
