BIRD Energy to fund 7 Israel-US clean energy projects
Each project is conducted by a US-Israeli partnership, and the selected projects address energy challenges and opportunities, focusing on commercializing clean energy technologies.
By AARON REICHHeliostat mirrors reflect the sky in a field at the construction site of a 240 meter (787 feet) solar-power tower in Israel's southern Negev Desert, February 8, 2016. The world's tallest solar-power tower is being built off a highway in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, its backers hoping the tec(photo credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)
Seven new, innovative, clean energy projects were selected by the US Energy Department, Israel’s Energy Ministry and the Israel Innovation Authority to receive $6.4 million through the Binational Industrial Research and Development (BIRD) Energy program.Founded in 2009, BIRD Energy is part of the BIRD Foundation, formed jointly by the US and Israeli governments in 1977 to generate mutually beneficial cooperation between companies in both countries. Since then, the program has funded 49 innovative, clean energy projects, with government investment funds totaling $38m. in addition to the $49m. in funds from the private sector.Each project is conducted by a US-Israeli partnership, and the selected projects address energy challenges and opportunities, focusing on commercializing clean energy technologies. The seven projects approved this year are as follows:Chakratec Ltd. (Lod, Israel) and Blink Charging Co. (Miami Beach, FL) will develop and demonstrate EV-charging boosting through energy storage systems.EcoPlant Technological Innovation, Ltd. (Kibbutz Gevim, Israel) and Atlas Machine and Supply, Inc. (Louisville, KY) will develop a novel solution to optimize energy efficiency and improve the quality of compressed air systems in the food and beverage industry.Elbit Systems, Ltd. (Haifa) and Ballard Unmanned Systems, Inc. (Southborough, MA) will develop a hydrogen-powered vertical takeoff and landing drone for long endurance having zero emission.Eta-Bar Ltd. (Petah Tikva) and Adesto Technologies Corp. (Santa Clara, CA) will develop an efficient power supply for grid-connected electronic devices.Exency Ltd. (Sderot) and Brayton Energy, LLC (Hampton, NH) will develop a low-cost and high-efficiency solid biomass and waste-fueled electricity generation system.Netafim Irrigation (Tel Aviv) and Polaris Energy Services (San Luis Obispo, CA) will develop an integrated irrigation and energy management system.AdvertisementRamot at Tel-Aviv University, Ltd. and Gas Technologies LLC (Walloon Lake, MI) will develop scalable production of a novel methane dry reforming catalyst and its implementation into a synthetic fuel plant.US Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette said that, “The innovative clean energy companies awarded to date have commercialized seven new energy technologies and attracted more than $450m. in follow-on investment, creating jobs in both countries.”Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz added that, “this collaboration enables both countries to promote joint development of technologies in diversified areas, bringing them to commercialization in a short time.”Eytan Halon contributed to this report.
