Web exclusive posted March 11, 2009, at 5:02 p.m. CST
Wheat Ridge, Colo.-based TDA Research Inc. has been awarded $225,000 in funds from the U.S. EPA to develop a process which will produce biodiesel from low-cost waste feedstocks, such as waste oils and animal fats.
TDA, a developer of catalysts, sorbents, advanced materials and components, is primarily supported by government research and development contracts.
The grant was provided by the EPA's Small Business Innovation Research program under the American Recovery and Investment Act of 2009, which has a purpose of strengthening the role of small businesses in federally funded research and development, and to develop a stronger national base for technical innovation.
The new funds will bring TDA into phase two of a preexisting project, which has previously been financially supported by the EPA. In phase one of SBIR contracts, the scientific merit and technical feasibility of proposed concepts were investigated. Projects are only granted phase two funding if the first phase is successfully completed.
TDA received one of eight phase two funding awards.
In phase one, the TDA successfully determined that it could produce biodiesel from waste grease at a cost that was competitive with conventional diesel. In phase two, it will work to develop and commercialize the technology.
SBIR funding can only be accessed by small businesses with less than 500 employees. The EPA call for applications will be open from March 19 to May 20, at
www.epa.gov/ncer/sbir. The opportunity can also be accessed through the
National Science Foundation until June.