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| Organization |
1366 Technologies |
| Project Title |
Direct Wafer: Enabling Terawatt Photovoltaics |
| Website |
www.1366tech.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Emanuel Sachs |
| Project Description |
Crystalline silicon wafers are commonly used in photovoltaic cells to capture and convert sunlight to productive energy. To date, the use of photovoltaic cells has been limited by the high cost of manufacturing silicon wafers. With ARPA-E’s financial support, 1366 Technologies is developing a novel wafer manufacturing process that plucks wafers directly from molten silicon and could cut the cost of installed photovoltaic systems in half and reduce wafer capital costs by 90 percent. By dramatically lowering the cost of photovoltaic cells, this manufacturing process could enable the United States to add 600 GW in solar energy production and save approximately 694 million metric tons of annual carbon dioxide emissions. If successful, this project could increase domestic energy production and generate many new jobs in the solar photovoltaic industry.
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| Organization |
Agrivida |
| Project Title |
Conditionally Activated Enzymes Expressed in Cellulosic Energy Crops |
| Website |
www.agrivida.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. R. Michael Raab |
| Project Description |
Agrivida is using ARPA-E funding to develop a new method for converting plant biomass into useful feedstock for the production of bio-fuels. To date, the use of plant biomass as feedstock for bio-fuel production has been limited by the difficulties inherent in degrading cell walls in plant cells. Agrivida aims to develop cell wall-degrading enzymes that can be produced at high concentration within plants. Once the crops are harvested, the engineered enzymes can be activated by adjusting the conditions of the bio-fuel production process. The activated enzymes would convert the plant cell walls into fermentable sugars that can be used to produce bio-fuels and other bio-products. If successful, this project could increase domestic production of renewable bio-fuels and reduce our nation's dependence upon foreign sources of fossil fuels.
View More (PDF 426 KB) |
| Organization |
Arizona State University |
| Project Title |
Sustainable, High Energy Density, Low Cost Electrochemical Energy Storage Metal Air |
| Website |
engineering.asu.edu/macme |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Cody Friesen |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, Arizona State University’s Metal-Air Ionic Liquid (MAIL) battery program seeks to create a safe, ultra-high energy density, and low-cost battery technology that incorporates earth-abundant materials. If successfully developed, the MAIL battery has the potential to increase the range of electric vehicles to distances approaching 1000 miles and to dramatically decrease the cost of electric vehicles. Advanced battery technologies have broad application. To date, the use of advanced battery technologies has been limited by their low energy density, high cost, safety problems, and reliance on earth-rare materials from unreliable foreign sources. MAIL batteries will use domestically available earth-abundant materials to achieve lower cost and a more reliable supply of raw materials. Furthermore, MAIL batteries will have unparalleled safety because the primary chemicals will not be stored in the same space; hence, in the event of a crash involving a hybrid/ electric vehicle, there would be little or no risk of catastrophic energy release and fire. If successful, this project will enable the rapid and widespread deployment of long-range, low-cost plug-in hybrid/electric vehicles and the use of the U.S. electric grid as the source of transport energy in place of imported fossil fuels.
View More (PDF 922 KB) |
| Organization |
Arizona State University |
| Project Title |
Sustainable Cyanobacteria Designed for Solar-Powered Highly Efficient Production of Biofuels |
| Website |
www.asu.edu |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Willem Vermaas |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, Arizona State University (ASU) will use cyanobacteria (specifically, synechocystis) to produce carbon-neutral, sustainable biofuels. Synechocystis grows on non-arable land, and therefore does not compete with food crops. ASU intends to modify synechocystis to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide into fatty acids, which will be further transformed into liquid transportation fuels. If successful, this project could increase production of domestic renewable biofuels and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign sources of fossil fuels.
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| Organization |
Ceres, Inc. |
| Project Title |
High Yielding, Low Input Energy Crops |
| Website |
www.ceres.net |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Roger Pennell |
| Project Description |
Using advanced plant breeding and biotechnology, Ceres Inc. is developing new varieties of energy grasses (specifically, switchgrass, miscanthus, and sorghum) for use as feedstock for the production of biofuels. These varieties will have greater yields than naturally-occurring grasses and require fewer agricultural inputs (e.g., nitrogen fertilizers). The ARPA-E funding will enable Ceres Inc. to test these varieties in the field and move closer to commercialization. Full-scale deployment of this technology could conserve 1.26 billion barrels of oil, 58 million tons of coal, 1.2 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer, 682 million tons of carbon dioxide, and 82 million pounds of nitrogen oxide emissions from 2020 to 2030. Indeed, the carbon sequestered in the roots of perennial plants like switchgrass and miscanthus has the potential to make these grasses carbon negative (i.e., they can sequester more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than is released in the lifecycle of producing and burning the fuel derived from them). If successful, this project could increase domestic, renewable biofuel production, reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of fossil fuels, decrease emissions of greenhouse gases, and generate new jobs.
View More (PDF 424 KB) |
| Organization |
Delphi Automotive Systems LLC |
| Project Title |
Gallium Nitride Advanced Power Semiconductor & Packaging |
| Website |
www.delphi.com |
| Point of Contact |
Mr. Han Lee |
| Project Description |
Delphi Automotive Systems is developing a novel electrical energy conversion device that will be 50 percent more efficient than existing silicon-based technologies. This device will consist of a 600 Volt gallium nitride device combined with sintered interconnects and double-sided cooling. This unique design will reduce the device size, cost, and energy losses. The power conversion device has already proven successful in a laboratory setting, so Delphi Automotive Systems will use the ARPA-E funding to move the device closer to low-cost, high-volume commercial production. If successful, this project will improve the energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of hybrid/electric vehicles and renewable energy systems (e.g., solar, wind).
View More (PDF 322 KB) |
| Organization |
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company |
| Project Title |
MacroAlgae Butanol |
| Website |
www.dupont.com |
| Point of Contact |
Mr. Michael Grady |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company (DuPont) is developing a commercially viable process for the production of an advanced bio-fuel, isobutanol, from seaweed. Using seaweed as a feedstock for the production of isobutanol has significant advantages, including reduced land use. Isobutanol has further advantages over alternative fuels like ethanol. For example, isobutanol is more comparable in performance to gasoline than ethanol, and can be blended in gasoline at higher levels than ethanol without changes to automobiles or the existing refinery and distribution infrastructure. DuPont aims to develop a microorganism to efficiently convert the sugars in seaweed into isobutanol. Isobutanol is projected to deliver a 90 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to gasoline derived from petroleum. Seaweed-derived isobutanol has the potential to replace 6.8 billion barrels of gasoline per year in the United States alone. If successful, this project could increase domestic, renewable bio-fuel production, reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of fossil fuels, and decrease emissions of greenhouse gases.
View More (PDF 277 KB) |
| Organization |
Eagle Picher Technologies, Inc. |
| Project Title |
Planar Na-beta Batteries for Renewable Integration and Grid Applications |
| Website |
www.eaglepicher.com |
| Point of Contact |
Mr. Robert Higgins |
| Project Description |
Large-scale, low-cost energy storage is necessary for widespread penetration of renewable energy and improved grid reliability. While high temperature sodium-beta batteries have long been a promising grid scale energy storage technology current sodium-beta battery technologies suffer from high cost and low reliability. Eagle Picher Technologies (EPT), in collaboration with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, will use ARPA-E funding to develop and demonstrate a completely new planar sodium-beta battery, a major departure from the current architecture based on highly expensive tubular designs. By using a novel and inexpensive stacked architecture, EPT aims to achieve dramatically improved performance at lower temperatures and lower cost. EPT’s design will simplify the manufacturing process, and enable the production of scalable, modular batteries at half the cost of existing designs. The layered batteries will have increased active areas and decreased diffusion distances, which will increase energy density by 30 percent and power density by 100 percent. If successful, this project could create new jobs, allow large scale battery storage on the electric grid to become a reality, making the grid more stable and easing the integration of renewable energy technologies onto the grid.
View More (PDF 474 KB) |
| Organization |
Envia Systems |
| Project Title |
High Energy Density Lithium Batteries |
| Website |
www.enviasystems.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Herman Lopez |
| Project Description |
Envia Systems is using ARPA-E funding to develop lithium-ion batteries with the highest energy density in the world (over 400 Wh/kg vs ~150 Wh/kg current state of the art). This project will entail the development of advanced high capacity silicon-carbon nano-composite anodes and complementary high capacity cathodes. In addition, Envia Systems will develop processes to scale the production of both anode and cathode materials to high volumes. Scaling of the materials will involve reproducibility of materials not only with high performance but also with high quality and consistency. If successful, this project will increase U.S. leadership in the field of advanced battery technologies, hasten the shift to hybrid/electric vehicles, and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign sources of fossil fuels.
View More (PDF 341 KB) |
| Organization |
Exelus Systems |
| Project Title |
Upgrading Refinery Off-gas to High-Octane Alkylate |
| Website |
www.exelusinc.com |
| Point of Contact |
Mr. Mitrajit Mukherjee |
| Project Description |
Oil refineries in the United States are highly efficient at chemical conversion. Because of the sheer scale of refining in the United States, even seemingly insignificant inefficiencies add up to massive losses of potential fuel. Among the most significant sources of wasted fuel is refinery off-gas (ROG). It is difficult and expensive to separate the useful elements in ROG, so refineries typically burn the ROG rather than putting it to productive use. With ARPA-E’s financial support, Exelus Systems is developing a novel process for separating useful elements (e.g., olefin) from ROG. This process could allow 42 percent of ROG to be converted into approximately 46 million barrels of gasoline per year. Putting ROG to productive use would significantly reduce the emissions released by refineries burning ROG. If successful, this project will increase domestic production of gasoline and reduce carbon emissions.
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| Organization |
FastCap Systems |
| Project Title |
Low Cost, High Energy and Power Density, Nanotube-Enhanced Ultracapacitors |
| Website |
www.fastcapsystems.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Riccardo Signorelli |
| Project Description |
FastCap Systems is using ARPA-E funding to develop a novel energy storage technology that would combine all of the advantages of ultracapacitors and batteries, without the disadvantages of either technology. Specifically, FastCap Systems intends to produce an ultracapacitor made of carbon nanotubes, extremely small high performance tubes of carbon that provides high energy density, high power, and extreme temperature reliability. In addition, the ultracapacitor will be safe from leaking and explosions. If successful, this project could greatly reduce the cost of hybrid/electric vehicles and increase their safety and reliability.
View More (PDF 314 KB) |
| Organization |
FloDesign Wind Turbine |
| Project Title |
Breakthrough High Efficiency Shrouded Wind Turbine |
| Website |
www.flodesignwindturbine.org |
| Point of Contact |
Mr. Robert Dold |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, FloDesign is developing a novel wind turbine that delivers significantly more energy per blade diameter than existing models. FloDesign’s wind turbine is not only significantly cheaper to produce and operate than existing designs, but also has potentially wider application than existing models. The more compact design will enable the deployment of wind turbines in a wider range of locations, including urban environments. If successful, this project could facilitate the deployment of wind power in the United States and accelerate the shift to renewable energy sources.
View More (PDF 287 KB) |
| Organization |
Foro Energy |
| Project Title |
Low-Contact Drilling Technology to Enable Economical EGS Wells |
| Website |
www.foroenergy.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Mark Zediker |
| Project Description |
Geothermal energy is a potentially rich source of carbon-free electricity generation in the United States. To date, the use of geothermal energy has been hindered by the difficulty in penetrating ultra-hard crystalline basement rocks. Conventional drill bits penetrate these rocks slowly and wear down quickly. As a result, drilling is slow and expensive. Foro Energy will use ARPA-E funding to develop a thermal-mechanical drilling technology that will increase drilling rates up to 10-fold relative to conventional drilling technologies. This increase in drilling efficiency will result in a significant reduction in drilling costs. If successful, this project could enable the widespread use of geothermal energy and accelerate the shift to renewable energy sources.
View More (PDF 376 KB) |
| Organization |
General Motors |
| Project Title |
Automotive Carbon Fiber Composites by Fast Cycle RTM |
| Website |
www.gm.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Alan Browne |
| Project Description |
Each year, the United States loses an enormous amount of energy, equivalent to two trillion watts, to waste heat (i.e., heat generated by machines, electrical equipment, and industrial processes that is lost to the surrounding environment without being put to useful purpose). General Motors (GM) is using ARPA-E funding to develop a system for recovering waste heat in automobiles. By recovering the waste heat, GM will increase fuel economy. The new system will utilize shape memory alloys (SMAs), which are deformed by heat and return to their original form at cooler temperatures. GM will combine SMAs with mechanical designs to achieve a tenfold improvement in power generation compared to existing technologies. This project has potentially unlimited application. It is applicable to heat sources in transportation, homes, buildings and the natural world – anywhere a heat differential exists could be exploited to generate useful energy. If successful, this project could increase fuel efficiency by up to 10 percent and reduce annual fuel consumption in the United States by up to 380 million barrels.
View More (PDF 289 KB) |
| Organization |
Inorganic Specialists |
| Project Title |
Silicon Coated Nanofiber Paper as a Lithium Ion Anode |
| Website |
www.InorganicSpecialists.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. David Firsich |
| Project Description |
Inorganic Specialists is developing a silicon-coated carbon nanofiber paper for use in lithium-ion batteries. This novel and unique paper can store four times more energy than existing technologies. This material is unique in that it simultaneously meets the criteria of breakthrough energy storage, low irreversible capacity, stable cycling, low cost, and viable manufacturability. ARPA-E funding will be used to develop manufacturing processes and equipment and to establish the feasibility of manufacturing the silicon-coated paper on an industrial scale. If successful, this project will accelerate the deployment of hybrid/electric vehicles and wind/solar power systems.
View More (PDF 310 KB) |
| Organization |
Iowa State University |
| Project Title |
A Genetically Tractable Microalgal Platform for Advanced Biofuel Production |
| Website |
www.iastate.edu |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Martin Spalding |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, Iowa State University (ISU) is modifying an acquatic microorganism, Chlamydomonas, to generate feedstock for the production of biofuels. Chlamydomonas is a versatile microorganism that can be easily managed and modified to assimilate carbon, generate energy-bearing molecules (lipids) from sunlight, and tolerate industrial-scale production. This project will generate new bio-fuel production capability, adaptable to a wide range of conditions and end products and with the transformational capability of genetically combining (i.e., breeding) a wide variety of desirable traits. If successful, this project will provide another renewable source of bio-fuels and reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of fossil fuels.
View More (PDF 275 KB) |
| Organization |
ITN Energy Systems, Inc. |
| Project Title |
Low-Cost Electrochromic Film on Plastic for Net-zero Energy Building |
| Website |
www.itnes.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Bruce Lanning |
| Project Description |
ITN Energy Systems is developing a novel film coating for windows that will significantly reduce heat and energy loss in all types of buildings. This film consists of a solid-state electrochromic film on plastic substrates. The primary obstacle to the deployment of so-called “smart windows” is the significant cost of energy-saving films. ARPA-E funding will be used to develop a new, cost-effective manufacturing process and intelligent, sensor-based process controls to monitor production quality. By adopting an innovative approach to manufacturing film coatings, ITN Energy Systems intends to lower their cost and enable their widespread adoption. If successful, this project could decrease energy use in buildings by up to 40 percent and significantly reduce pressure on utilities during periods of peak demand.
View More (PDF 314 KB) |
| Organization |
Lehigh University |
| Project Title |
Electric field swing adsorption for carbon capture applications |
| Website |
www3.lehigh.edu/engineering |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. David Moore |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, Lehigh University is developing a novel approach to separate carbon dioxide from other gases in the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. Lehigh University intends to use electric fields to reversibly and selectively enhance the affinity of certain high-surface-area, solid, absorbent materials for carbon dioxide. By flicking a switch, coal-fired power plants could control whether the materials adsorb carbon dioxide or release it for collection. ARPA-E funding will be used to develop appropriate materials and optimize the adsorption process. If successful, this technology would significantly reduce the time and energy required for carbon capture.
View More (PDF 274 KB) |
| Organization |
Michigan State University |
| Project Title |
Wave Disc Engine |
| Website |
www3.lehigh.edu/engineering |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Norbert Mueller |
| Project Description |
Michigan State University is developing a novel generator for use in hybrid automobile engines. Nearly 85 percent of automobile fuel is wasted. Only 15 percent of fuel is actually used for propulsion. The new generator will make better use of automobile fuel. It is projected that the generator will use 60 percent of fuel for propulsion, thus significantly reducing the percentage of fuel that is wasted. The generator is compact in size (about the size of a cooking pot), yet it will replace nearly 1,000 lbs. of engine, transmission, cooling system, emissions, and fluids. As a result, automobile companies will be able to produce lighter, more fuel-efficient hybrid vehicles. If successful, this project will significantly increase fuel consumption efficiency, reduce automobile emissions by up to 90 percent, substantially decrease U.S. imports of fossil fuels from foreign sources, and create new jobs.
View More (PDF 306 KB) |
| Organization |
Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Project Title |
Electroville: High Amperage Energy Storage Device-Energy for the Neighborhood |
| Website |
web.mit.edu/dsadoway/www/ |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. D. R. Sadoway |
| Project Description |
Large-scale storage of electrical energy is a huge problem in an array of fields ranging from load leveling of power grids to providing uninterruptible backup power for hospitals and manufacturing facilities, but it is particularly important to enable the use of renewables as a means of reliably meeting the electricity needs of our population. While there have been striking improvements in batteries in recent decades, there is no current technology that is able to meet the necessary performance requirements, such as long service lifetimes spanning thousands of cycles at deep depth of discharge (>80 percent), very high current rates, and very low cost (<$50/kWh). ARPA-E funding will be used to develop design parameters and a working prototype that can store and deliver energy on the roder of 5-kWh. The device will use cheap and domestically abundant materials and is expected to attain unprecedented current density and lifespan at an acceptably low cost. If successful, this project will facilitate the widespread deployment of renewable energy technologies in the United States.
View More (PDF 306 KB) |
| Organization |
Momentive Performance Materials |
| Project Title |
Ammonothermal Bulk GaN Crystal Growth for Energy Efficient Lighting |
| Website |
www.momentive.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Larry Zeng |
| Project Description |
Lighting consumes a significant percentage of total energy production. Momentive Performance Materials (MPM) is developing gallium-nitride solid-state lighting that is more efficient at generating light and produces minimal waste heat. MPM has already demonstrated a high-pressure, high-temperature process to grow single-crystal gallium nitride material with low defects. This process is inherently scalable to mass production. ARPA-E funding will enable MPM to improve the technology and move closer to commercialization. If successful, this project will enable the deployment of low-cost, high-efficiency solid-state lighting devices.
View More (PDF 247 KB) |
| Organization |
Nalco Company |
| Project Title |
Energy Efficient Capture of CO2 from Coal Flue Gas |
| Website |
www.nalco.com |
| Point of Contact |
Mr. Wayne Carlson |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, Nalco Company is developing a novel process to capture carbon in the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. Nalco Company’s electrochemical platform will rapidly capture carbon dioxide and desorb it at atmospheric pressure without heating, vacuum, or consumptive chemical usage. If successful, this technology will reduce the incremental carbon capture costs by up to 50 percent and make it more affordable for coal-fired power plants to clean their smokestack emissions.
View More (PDF 286 KB) |
| Organization |
NanOasis Technologies, Inc. |
| Project Title |
Carbon Nanotube Membrane Elements for Energy Efficient and Low Cost Reverse Osmosis |
| Website |
www.NanOasis.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Jason Holt |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, NanOasis will utilize carbon nanotubes to create industrially-scalable reverse osmosis (RO) membranes that could transform desalination and wastewater reuse and produce dramatic energy savings. Reverse osmosis is used to provide potable water by desalinating three main sources of input water: brackish inland waters, municipal wastewater, and seawater. NanOasis is developing RO membranes that will be ten times more permeable than existing membranes. These new membranes will not require any modifications to existing desalination plants. NanOasis’ membranes will be packaged in the industry standard form-factor so they can be drop-in replacements in existing plants. With their low cost and high energy savings, customers could recover their investments in membrane technology within a matter of months. NanOasis’ membrane technology could reduce reverse osmosis energy consumption by 30 to 50 percent in existing desalination plants by the drop-in replacement of legacy RO membrane elements with NanOasis’ ultra low pressure elements. In new desalination plants optimized around NanOasis’ membrane technology, the total cost of water could be reduced by up to 40 percent by the combination of energy savings, membrane savings and smaller, less complex, lower cost facilities that could yield the same water output. If successful, this project could revolutionize the field of desalination and wastewater reuse and yield an estimated 290 trillion watt in energy savings over 10 years, corresponding to 177 million tons of carbon dioxide.
View More (PDF 295 KB) |
| Organization |
Ohio State University |
| Project Title |
Pilot Scale Testing of Carbon Negative, Product Flexible Syngas Chemical Looping |
| Website |
www.chbmeng.ohio-state.edu |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Liang-Shih Fan |
| Project Description |
Ohio State University (OSU) developed an innovative process – the Syngas Chemical Looping (SCL) process – for efficiently converting carbonaceous fuels such as coal and biomass into electricity, hydrogen, and/or liquid fuel with zero or negative net carbon dioxide emission. OSU will use ARPA-E funding to construct a 250 kWth pilot-scale plant to demonstrate the SCL process. A blend of biomass and coal will be converted to clean energy carriers such as hydrogen and electricity with 100 percent carbon dioxide capture. OSU is working with a wide range of companies to address all industrial concerns while preparing the technology for commercialization. Once commercialized, the process could be utilized to produce low cost electricity, hydrogen, and/or synthetic liquid fuel with zero or negative net carbon dioxide emission. If successful, this project will drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions while promoting the efficient usage of indigenous energy sources such as coal and biomass.
View More (PDF 344 KB) |
| Organization |
PAX Streamline, Inc. |
| Project Title |
Adaptive Turbine Blades: Blown Wing Technology for Low-Cost Wind Power |
| Website |
www.paxscientific.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Peter Fiske |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, PAX Streamline will develop and construct a prototype “blown wing” (circulation control) wind turbine at the 100 kW scale. “Blown wing” technology has the potential to introduce a radical simplification to the manufacture and operation of wind turbines. Unlike a fixed airfoil, a “blown wing” can be dynamically adjusted to maximize power under a wide range of wind conditions. And, unlike fixed airfoils which must be laboriously manufactured to high precision, an effective blown wing can be generated from a slotted extruded pipe that can be domestically manufactured at a fraction of the cost. Blown wing technology has been demonstrated on fixed and rotary wing aircraft by the U.S. military, but no demonstration of blown wing technology has been attempted for wind turbines. If successful, this project could enable the economic proliferation of distributed, medium-scale wind turbine technology in sites throughout the United States.
View More (PDF 274 KB) |
| Organization |
Pennsylvania State University |
| Project Title |
Towards Scale Solar Conversion of CO2 and Water Vapor to Hydrocarbon |
| Website |
www.psu.edu |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Craig Grimes |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) will develop a novel process in which sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water vapor are combined to create hydrocarbon fuels that can be used within the current energy infrastructure. Using natural outdoor sunlight, Penn State has already achieved efficient solar conversion of carbon dioxide and water vapor to methane and other more complex hydrocarbons. Penn State now seeks to convert approximately 2 percent of sunlight to a liquid chemical fuel that can be stored or transported as needed. If successful, this project could increase domestic production of renewable transportation fuels, thus reducing U.S. dependence upon foreign sources of fossil fuels.
View More (PDF 330 KB) |
| Organization |
Phononic Devices, Inc. |
| Project Title |
Advanced Semiconductor Materials for High Efficiency Thermoelectric Devices |
| Website |
www.phononicdevices.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Patrick McCann |
| Project Description |
To date, the United States generates most electricity by creating heat, whether it is through burning coal or splitting atoms. The heat, in turn, makes steam, which turns a turbine and makes electricity. This process is highly inefficient since approximately 60 percent of the heat is wasted. Phononic Devices intends to recapture this waste heat and convert it into usable electric power, or, depending on the source of the heat, provide refrigeration and cooling. This ‘thermoelectric’ concept uses advanced semiconductor materials, similar to those found in microprocessors and solar cells, to manage heat by manipulating the direction of electrons at the nanoscale. Resembling computer chips, thermoelectric devices are quiet, have no moving parts or harmful emissions. Phononic Devices’ design concepts are projected to dramatically improve thermoelectric efficiency from less than 10 percent today to more than 30 percent, resulting in significant energy savings for power generation and cooling. If successful, this project would open new opportunities for domestic power generation and reduce our nation’s dependence on foreign sources of fossil fuels.
View More (PDF 309 KB) |
| Organization |
Porifera Inc. |
| Project Title |
Carbon Nanotube Membranes for Energy-Efficient Carbon Sequestration |
| Website |
www.poriferanano.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Olgica Bakajin |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, Porifera aims to develop high flux, high selectivity carbon nanotube (CNT) membranes to efficiently separate carbon dioxide from industrial smokestack emissions. Presently, companies rely on chemical absorption to separate carbon dioxide from other emissions. However, chemical absorption is expensive and energy-intensive, and has an independent, negative impact on the environment. The goal of this project is to replace current chemical-based carbon dioxide separation technology with membrane-based technology. If this project is successful, it will result in carbon-dioxide separation membranes that deliver higher efficiency, cheaper sequestration, and lower energy consumption.
View More (PDF 278 KB) |
| Organization |
RTI International |
| Project Title |
Catalytic Biocrude Production in a Novel Short-Contact Time Reactor |
| Website |
www.rti.org |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. David Dayton |
| Project Description |
RTI International is using ARPA-E funding to develop a novel process for bio-crude production. Working with a range of industry partners, RTI International will focus on the development of a single-step catalytic biomass pyrolysis process with high carbon conversion efficiency to produce stable bio-crude with low oxygen content. Transformational biofuels technologies like catalytic biomass pyrolysis have the potential to substantially enhance the economic and energy security of the United States by converting abundant domestic biomass resources into a hydrocarbon-rich pyrolysis liquid that can be upgraded into liquid transportation fuel. This project is expected to yield a condensed hydrocarbon liquid (bio-crude) that can make use of the existing petroleum-refining infrastructure. If successful, this project could increase domestic production of renewable transportation fuels and reduce our nation's dependence upon foreign sources of fossil fuels and create new jobs.
View More (PDF 275 KB) |
| Organization |
Stanford University, Human Sciences and Technologies Advanced Research Institute |
| Project Title |
Large-Scale Energy Reductions through Sensors, Feedback, & Information Technology |
| Website |
hstar.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/ |
| Point of Contact |
Mr. Byron Reeves |
| Project Description |
Smart meters and related technologies promise that energy information will change energy use. With ARPA-E’s financial support, Stanford University will establish an interdisciplinary group of researchers and industry leaders to develop new ways to connect people with electric sensor data. This project will explore the use of interactive media (e.g., mobile devices, social networking, multiplayer games), new data visualization techniques, novel incentive systems, and community programs that encourage retrofits and the purchase and proper use of energy efficient technologies. This project will also explore the use of energy information to improve prescriptive economic and engineering models, as well as to inform the development of sensor communications networks. If successful, this project could reduce average residential energy use by up to 30 percent and lead to the creation of software interfaces that display energy data, algorithms that calculate and monitor energy use in behavioral categories, media products (e.g., games, social networking applications, curricula) that encourage reductions in energy consumption, automated recommendation engines related to demand shifting, and curricula for school and community programs.
View More (PDF 364 KB) |
| Organization |
Sun Catalytix Corporation |
| Project Title |
Affordable Energy from Water and Sunlight |
| Website |
www.suncatalytix.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Daniel Nocera |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, Sun Catalytix is developing a versatile, inexpensive, efficient, self-repairing, and scalable method for storage of renewable energy. Sun Catalytix will exploit a novel water oxidation catalyst discovered at MIT that employs earth-abundant elements to generate hydrogen and oxygen from tap water or clean sea water. ARPA-E funding has enabled Sun Catalytix to move the novel catalyst technology from the academic laboratory to a commercial setting for practical application. Specifically, Sun Catalytix aims to design and develop a new class of electrolyzer and photoelectrochemical cell (PEC) devices, including an inexpensive 100 Watt electrolyzer and a direct solar-to-fuel PEC module. It is anticipated that both devices will be constructed from materials that support mass production, operate efficiently using readily-available water supplies, and serve as robust test-beds for innovative new products. If successful, this project will allow economical and distributed energy storage from renewable energy supply using water as a feedstock, and enable continuous power in off-grid locations at much lower cost than incumbent technologies.
View More (PDF 279 KB) |
| Organization |
United Technologies Research Center |
| Project Title |
CO2 Capture with Enzyme Synthetic Analogue |
| Website |
www.utc.com |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Harry Cordatos |
| Project Description |
United Technologies Research Center (UTRC) is using ARPA-E funding to develop a new process for capturing the carbon dioxide emitted by coal-fired power plants. UTRC is focusing its research on a naturally-occurring enzyme that is used by nearly every organism on earth to manage carbon dioxide levels. The naturally-occurring form would not survive within a smokestack environment, so UTRC seeks to develop a synthetic analogue of the enzyme that could be used to study aspects of its catalytic mechanism. The ultimate objective of this research is to create an enzyme analogue / polymer nano-composite thin-film structure that could act as a selective membrane to separate carbon dioxide from other gases in power plant smokestacks. The proposed technology may be easier to install and more reliable than existing technologies because it does not involve any moving parts or consumables. If successful, the proposed technology would allow coal-fired power plants to capture up to 90 percent of carbon at a significantly lower incremental cost.
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| Organization |
Univenture / Algaeventure Systems |
| Project Title |
Scaling and Commercialization of Algae Harvesting Technologies |
| Website |
www.univenture.com |
| Point of Contact |
Mr. Ross Youngs |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, Univenture and Algaeventure Systems are jointly developing a new and inexpensive method for harvesting algae utilizing low energy surface chemistry properties in a mechanical-electrical device. Algae have a wide range of potential applications, such as in the production of food, feed, chemicals, plastics, and pharmaceuticals. More importantly, algae could be a rich source of feedstock for bio-fuel production. The principal obstacle to the use of algae in commercial products, including bio-fuels, is the high cost of harvesting and dewatering algae. Harvesting and dewatering are necessary to extract the energy storage molecules (lipids) contained within the algae. To date, transforming algae into a dense sludge sufficient for lipid extraction has required a multistage, energy-inefficient process consuming 30 percent to 50 percent of the total cost of algae cultivation. Univenture and Algaeventure Systems have designed and fabricated an innovative algae harvesting dewatering and drying system that is far more energy-efficient than existing techniques. If successful, this technology could dramatically reduce the energy cost necessary to harvest, dewater, dry algae and potentially transform the economics of algae-based bio-fuel production, and generate new jobs.
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| Organization |
University of California, Riverside |
| Project Title |
Quaternary Phosphonium Based Hydroxide Exchange Membranes |
| Website |
www.ucr.edu |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Yushan Yan |
| Project Description |
The University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside) is using ARPA-E funding to develop a new class of fuel cells. To date, the use of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) has been hindered by their high cost, which is attributable to their use of costly materials – in particular platinum – as catalysts. UC Riverside will develop a new class of hydroxide exchange membranes (HEMs) that can eliminate the use of platinum in fuel cells and replace it with inexpensive metals such as nickel and silver, thus providing the breakthrough needed to make fuel cell technology economically viable. These fuel cells will have further benefits, such as high hydroxide conductivity, alkaline stability, and dimensional stability. Such fuel cells will also have immediate application in zero emission vehicles and solar and wind energy storage. If successful, this project could facilitate the use of fuel cells in automobiles and reduce U.S. demand for fossil fuels from foreign sources.
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| Organization |
University of Delaware |
| Project Title |
High Energy Permanent Magnets for Hybrid Vehicles and Alternative Energy |
| Website |
www.Udel.edu |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. George Hadjipanayis |
| Project Description |
High-energy permanent magnets are indispensable for many applications in the electric, electronic, automobile, communications, and information technologies industries. Currently the demand for these magnets is even higher in the emerging markets of hybrid/electric vehicles, windmill power systems, power generation systems, and energy storage systems. The United States has lost its lead in this critical field of technology as producers have migrated to Asia. The University of Delaware’s research and development will provide the fundamental innovations and breakthroughs that will help re-establish the United States as a leader in the science, technology, and commercialization of this essential class of materials. The goal of this project is to develop materials that will allow the United States to fabricate the next generation of permanent magnets with magnetic energy density (maximum energy product) 2x higher than the current value of the strongest Nd-Fe-B magnets. If successful, this project will lead to lower-cost and more energy-efficient and power-dense magnets for deployment in a wide range of clean energy technologies.
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| Organization |
University of Illinois |
| Project Title |
Harvesting Low Quality Heat Using Economically Printed Flexible Nanostructured Stacked Thermoelectric Junctions |
| Website |
www.Illinois.edu |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Sanjiv Sinha |
| Project Description |
Each year, the United States loses an enormous amount of energy, equivalent to two trillion watts, to waste heat (i.e., heat generated by machines, electrical equipment, and industrial processes that is lost to the surrounding environment without being put to useful purpose). The University of Illinois is using ARPA-E funding to develop flexible, thermoelectric modules composed of silicon nanotubes and an economic and highly scalable approach to fabricate such modules. The modules’ structural flexibility will enable their deployment in diverse settings with minimal customization of heat exchangers and use of real estate. For example, the modules could be put to immediate use in power plants, data centers, and automobiles. If successful, the thermoelectric modules could increase electricity production in the United States by up to 23 percent without any accompanying increases in carbon and noise emissions.
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| Organization |
University of Minnesota |
| Project Title |
Shewanella as an Ideal Platform for Producing Hydrocarbon Biofuels |
| Website |
www.umn.edu |
| Point of Contact |
Dr. Lawrence Wackett |
| Project Description |
With ARPA-E’s financial support, the University of Minnesota seeks to develop hydrocarbon biofuels from a renewable resource, namely the Shewanella bacteria. Hydrocarbon fuels have significant advantages over alternative fuels like ethanol. For example, hydrocarbon fuels, unlike ethanol, could make use of the United States’ existing refining and distribution infrastructure. The University of Minnesota has already proven that naturally-occurring Shewanella bacteria produce hydrocarbons and are tolerant to the same. This project aims to engineer Shewanella bacteria to produce higher levels of hydrocarbons from carbon dioxide, thus removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This proposed research will also explore innovative bio-production methodologies to allow continuous harvesting of hydrocarbons, which would generate significant cost savings compared to traditional batch fermentation. The hydrocarbon feedstock generated by this novel approach will be chemically processed using knowledge obtained from a century of petroleum refining. If successful, this project could increase domestic production of renewable transportation fuels and reduce our nation's dependence upon foreign sources of fossil fuels.
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