Utility Consortium to Award Up to $100,000 in Demonstration Funds

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The CTSI Utility Technology Challenge, an innovative program matching energy solutions to utilities and their partners, is accepting applications until January 31, 2012. Launched in 2010 in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the CTSI Utility Technology Challenge is now in its third year of identifying and providing global visibility to promising utility-focused energy technologies.

This year, CTSI and its partner, Fraunhofer TechBridge, are expanding the Challenge to include up to $100,000 in awards of demonstration funds and services for winning companies.

Members of this year's utility consortium, which reviews submissions and partners with the winners for testing and pilot programs, includes: Arsenal Venture Partners, Anaheim Center for New Energy Technologies (AC-NET), Austin Energy, Constellation Energy, U.S. Department of Energy, Kauffman Foundation, National Grid, Northeast Utilities, Shell GameChanger, and Southern California Edison.

"National Grid sponsors the Utility Technology Challenge because this is a great way for us to learn about promising and exciting new technologies, engage with new companies and communicate our business and technology challenges," stated Neil Hughes, strategy manager at National Grid. "This year, I'm really excited about the new pool of funding for pilot studies to be awarded to the winners of the competition. These pilot studies will enable real-world testing that may provide the platform for further deployment."

The utility consortium, over several review rounds, will select the top 15 semifinalist solutions to present at the Clean Technology 2012 Conference in Boston, June 14-16, (www.techconnectworld.com/Cleantech2012/). Demonstration award winners will be announced during the event.

Key technology solution areas for this year's challenge include: transmission and distribution, smart grid, distributed power integration, natural gas, industrial and commercial energy and power efficiency, alternative power and hybrid generation, energy storage, electric vehicle infrastructure, and carbon reduction.

The submission deadline is January 31, 2012. Organizations with pilot-ready or early- commercial stage solutions targeting utilities and large customers should apply here: http://www.techconnectworld.com/Cleantech2012/program/UtilityTechnologyChallenge.html.

About Clean Technology & Sustainable Industries Organization (CTSI):
The Clean Technology & Sustainable Industries Organization (CTSI), a 501c6 non-profit industry association, represents the organizations developing, commercializing, and implementing energy, water, and environmental technologies. Clean technologies offer much needed solutions to growing resource security and sustainability concerns and are critical to maintaining economic competitiveness. CTSI brings together global leaders for advocacy, community development, networking, and information sharing to help bring these needed technologies to market more rapidly. Visit www.ct-si.org for more information.

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SOURCE CTSI