Mass High Tech - March 27, 2009

EPA gives $1M to five area firms for clean tech
Mass High Tech

The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded five local companies more than $1 million in funding under the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to commercialize technologies that address environmental issues.

The companies — Johansson Industries Inc. of Beverly, Reactive Innovations LLC of Littleton, EIC Laboratories Inc. of Norwood, Agiltron Inc. of Woburn and Aerodyne Research Inc. of Billerica — were each awarded $225,000 to bring an array of different solutions to market. Each of the awards is a Phase 2 SBIR award, aimed at preparing new technologies for market applications and commercialization.

The five firms were among only eight nationwide to receive a total of $1.8 million under the EPA award.

In detail:

• Johansson Industries will be investigating a higher performing electrostatic precipitator used in the removal of particulate matter in the emissions of coal-fired power plants.

• Reactive Innovations is developing a water chlorination unit that can be used to produce clean drinking water.

• EIC Laboratories is developing a hand-held instrument to detect harmful contaminants in water supplies.

• Agiltron is developing a hand-held instrument to detect leaks of volatile organic compounds, methane and other greenhouse gases.

• Aerodyne Research is working on a portable sensor that can rapidly detect ammonia.

In May of last year, Agiltron was named a 2008 Innovation Award winner by the Smaller Business Association of New England.