Follow the Green Money: DOE Awards $122 Million For Solar Research, Kior Receives $110 Million, Calera Corp. Raises $19.9 Million

The Department of Energy has announced it will be awarding $122 million over five years to a team of scientists to start an Energy Innovation Hub that will develop new ways to use the energy from the sun.  The Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis will be operated jointly between Cal Tech and Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.

Houston based biofuels company, Kior, has received $110 million in investment funds, the largest share coming from Khosla Investments.  Kior has developed a thermochemical process that uses wood and plant waste as feed stock to produce a biocrude that can be refined. 

Calera Corp, a start-up backed by Khosla Ventures, has received $19.9 million in funds from the Department of Energy to continue developing its carbon capture of fossil fuels at cement plants and utilities.  The carbon captured is recycled into pavement and building materials.  The Los Gatos, CA based company has career openings in process technology, materials development and electrochemistry.