This is the tenth funding cycle for US-Israel joint project proposals with a focus on industrial research and development (R&D) in renewable and energy efficiency technologies, according to the DOE news release.
BIRD Energy was created as a result of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 and designed as the energy arm of the 40-year-old BIRD Foundation and is administered by the BIRD Foundation. It focuses on commercializing sustainable energy technologies that improve economic competitiveness, create jobs, and increase energy security.
The BIRD Foundation was established in 1977 by the United States and Israel governments to promote mutually beneficial industrial research and development (R&D), and the program has proved to be a very successful example of binational R&D collaboration.
Each BIRD Energy project involves a partnership between a U.S. and an Israeli company with up to 50 percent of the funding being supplied by BIRD and at least 50 percent by the partnership of the two companies.
Since its inception in 2009, BIRD Energy has approved 42 projects with a total investment of about $30 million, attracting more than $200 million in venture capital and other follow-on funding to commercialize clean energy technologies.
To be considered, a project proposal must meet certain criteria – It must include R&D cooperation between two companies or cooperation between a company and a university/research institution (one from the US and one from Israel). The project should have commercial potential that will lead to further development and commercialization.
And lastly, the proposal should show innovation in any areas of renewable energy and energy efficiencies, such as solar and wind power, advanced vehicle technologies and alternative fuels, smart grid, storage, water-energy nexus, advanced manufacturing, and other areas.
Applicants should refer to the BIRD Energy Call for Proposal website for details. Deadlines for submission include Executive Summary – July 9, 2018, and Final Proposal – August 21, 2018. The maximum conditional grant is $1.0 million per project.
