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SolarBee, Inc. in Dickinson receives $80K research award for water treatment technology

Release Date: 05/23/2012
Contact Information: U.S. EPA: Latisha Petteway, 202-564-3191 or 202-564-4355;  SolarBee, Inc:  Willard Tormaschy, 701-225-7822, ext 115

Company among 25 selected nationally under EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research program 

(Denver, Colo. --  May 23, 2012) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded Dickinson, N.D. - based SolarBee, Inc. an $80,000 grant to conduct research on a solar-powered aeration technology to remove trihalomethanes from water distribution systems.  

Trihalomethanes are a group of chemicals formed as byproducts when chlorine or other disinfectants used to control microbes in drinking water react with naturally occurring organic and inorganic matter in water. Trihalomethanes include chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, and bromoform. SolarBee’s research will help develop more efficient ways for water utilities to remove these contaminants and meet EPA drinking water standards.  

SolarBee is among 25 companies receiving a total of $2 million for technology development toward sustainable solutions for the environment under EPA’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The SBIR program is part of EPA’s Technology Innovation for Environmental and Economic Progress: An EPA Roadmap, which focuses on linking research and development, policy and finance.  

EPA’s SBIR program supports small businesses’ development of new technologies addressing key environmental areas. The technological concepts submitted to this year’s competition include drinking water monitoring and treatment, sustainable infrastructures, green building, innovation in manufacturing, greenhouse gas reduction, air pollution monitoring and control and waste monitoring and management.  

The 25 companies awarded contracts make up Phase I of this year’s annual competition. The winners will compete for Phase II funding to commercialize their technologies, helping to protect Americans’ health and the environment. To be eligible to participate in the SBIR program, a company must be an organized, for-profit U.S. business and have fewer than 500 employees. Phase I awards may be up to $80,000, and Phase II awards may be up to $300,000.  

This year’s Phase I winners include companies from 18 states across the U.S.:  

• GVD Corporation, Mass.
• Aerodyne Research, Inc., Mass.
• Orono Spectral Solutions, Inc., Maine
• The Laser Sensing Company, N.J.
• NEI Corporation, N.J.
• Electron Energy Corporation, Pa.
• NanoSonic, Inc., Va.
• Luna Innovations, Inc., Va.
• Compact Membrane Systems, Inc., Del.
• Okeanos Technologies, LLC, Ky.
• ThornProducts, LLC, Fla.
• Faraday Technology, Inc., Ohio
• T3 Scientific, LLC, Minn.
• UES, Inc., Ohio
• Sunocs, LLC, Ind.
• Fluidic microControls, Inc., Ill.
• Synanomet, LLC, Ark.
• Adherent Technologies, Inc., N.M.
• SolarBee, Inc., N.D.
• Membrane Technology and Research, Inc., Calif.
• Intelligent Optical Systems, Inc., Calif.
• Altex Technologies Corporation, Calif.
• Fungi Perfecti, LLC, Wash.
• OnTo Technology, LLC, Ore.
• Los Gatos Research, Inc., Calif.

 More information on the Technology Innovation Roadmap:  https://www.epa.gov/envirofinance/innovation.html