Government Grants for Alternative Energy

by Darren

With Barack Obama taking over as President of the USA, many people expect a golden age of green technology to dawn in our nation. Obama has stated the desire to create 3 million new jobs, many of them coming from green industries. It’s a lofty goal, indeed. But it’s not like Obama’s predecessor George W. Bush has been completely slacking in the same department. He signed a number of landmark proposals into law concerning incentives for alternative energy.

Dependence on foreign oil prompts the US to look for alternative sources of energy

Ever since the first major oil crisis in 1973, the Federal government has made funds available to help fund alternative energy research. The idea of reducing our foreign dependence on oil is compelling, especially as the geo-political situation in the world becomes increasingly complicated. But for the most part, the price of crude oil has remained relatively cheap and research into alternative energy has proceeded at a pace that hasn’t produced the needed advancements to produce a quantum leap towards clean energy.

The Department of Energy’s Office of Science is one department responsible for promoting research in alternative energy, and they’ve seen an increase in recent years in the amount they’re investing. Right now, intrepid researchers can apply for grants if they’re researching in such fields as biofuels, solar energy, and hydrogen fuels.

Another advantage of the Office of Science is that specially chosen projects will also gain access to their supercomputer. This can help speed research along vastly.

“From understanding the makeup of our universe to protecting the quality of life here on earth, the computational science now possible using DOE’s supercomputers touches all of our lives,” said DOE Under Secretary for Science Raymond Orbach, who launched INCITE in 2003. “By dedicating time on these supercomputers to carefully selected projects, we are advancing scientific research in ways we could barely envision 10 years ago, improving our national competitiveness.”

The National Science Foundation is the other major government sponsor of alternative energy research. Although the NSF doesn’t focus exclusively on alternative energy research, such projects often fit their criteria for funding. In a sign of the times, they’ve even made finding such funding easier.

Businesses are looking for the solution to energy problems too

Of course one of the biggest sectors sponsoring scientific research into alternative energy is the private sector. Companies with R&D departments that sponsor alternative energy projects have been growing by leaps and bounds in recent years.

With oil prices through the roof, development of alternative energy became a prime concern for many companies. But as the price of crude oil dropped by 70%, a number of companies have already canceled projects totaling billions. As the last energy crisis in the early 1970s proved, people have a short memory when it comes to high energy prices, because most people have lived during a period of cheap energy. Some people might even expect cheap energy as a basic right of their existence. But huge challenges to this idea already exist. The world’s population sits at 6.5 billion and energy consumption is up in most of the developed world. These facts should ensure a steady stream of money into research.

2009 is an exciting time for alternative energy research. Events in 2008 spooked consumers. GM and Ford found themselves in huge trouble because they were trying to sell gas guzzling vehicles to customers who wanted much better fuel efficiency. With these events still fresh in everyone’s mind, and a new administration and congress in power, it’s likely a push towards alternative energy will be on everyone’s mind. It’s likely part of this push will result in more and bigger government grants for alternative energy research.