US DOE and Secretary Chu Announces "America's Next Top Energy Innovator."

US Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today the "America's Next Top Energy Innovator" challenge. This challenge is part of the Startup America Initiative and looks to give start-up companies the opportunity to license groundbreaking technologies developed by the National Laboratories for $1,000, and reduces the amount of paperwork required. This $1000 fee represents a savings of $10,000 to $50,000 for upfront fees. One of the goals of this challenge is to double the number of start ups coming from the National Labs.

The focus in this challenge on currently available innovations is very strong for renewable energy. Innovations available for licensing are as follows:

• Solar Energy Storage, Transportation and Conversion - available from DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  Grid Friendly Appliance Controller - available from DOE's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
  
• Growth of Lattice Matched III-V Semiconductor Materials - available from DOE's National Renewable Energy Laboratory
• New Catalyst Can Reduce Nitrogen Oxide Emissions From Diesel Engines by 80-85% - available from DOE's Argonne National Laboratory