NC Green Business Fund 2007-2008 Awardees:

Thirteen North Carolina small businesses received up to $100,000 each from the North Carolina Green Business Fund. The 2007-2008 awards are the first grants awarded from the fund, which is designed to help small businesses with fewer than 100 employees develop and market promising green and alternative energy technologies.

	Blue Ridge Biofuels of Asheville was awarded $77,737 to develop and commercialize an innovative purification method to convert low-quality fatty acids into biofuels.
	Organofuels of Asheville was awarded $81,944 to manufacture an algae-based fuel for gasoline engines.
	Ecocurrent of Raleigh was awarded $100,000 for a novel technological process that converts hog manure to electric power in an economically viable manner, while producing valuable byproducts such as fertilizer and building materials.
	Evans Environmental of Wilson was awarded $75,000 to remove residual water in the final stage of biodiesel production. This innovative process will facilitate increased production to commercial-grade biodiesel by 300%.
	Alganomics of Southport was awarded $60,000 to produce reliable, environmentally responsible, natural and renewable bioproducts from algal sources. The primary bioproduct is extracted oil/fatty acids for use as a biodiesel fuel feedstock.
	Kyma Technologies of Raleigh was awarded $60,000 to work with researchers at North Carolina State University to develop a very efficient, lower-cost electric switch to be used in a broad range of applications including hybrid and all electric vehicles, legacy and renewable electric grids and power supplies in general.
	3F LLC of Raleigh was awarded $100,000 to develop a new natural fiber-reinforced concrete formula. The resulting concrete will be lighter weight, yet stronger.
	Piedmont Biofuels of Pittsboro was awarded $75,000 to develop a cavitation reactor to produce biodiesel fuel. The process uses less energy than traditional methods, has a much smaller physical footprint and causes a more complete reaction with higher fuel yields.
	Nextreme Thermal Solutions of Durham was awarded $57,319 to manufacture a novel thermoelectric power generator capable of converting waste heat into usable electrical power.
	Rain Water Solutions of Raleigh was awarded $18,000 to develop a new rain barrel manufacturing process that will allow mass production to meet increasing demand and provide an inexpensive, appealing option to consumers desiring to collect rainwater.
	NanotechLabs of Yadkinville was awarded $70,000 to develop and commercialize an energy storage device that has extremely high volume capacity but small overall dimensions.
	Phazetek of Greensboro was awarded $75,000 to develop a new class of thermal efficient building material for transfer and storage building wallboards.
	Sencera of Charlotte was awarded $100,000 to open a photovoltaic solar cell production facility in North Carolina based on a new thin-film manufacturing technology.