ARPA-E Has $150 Million in New Energy Funding for the Einsteins of Right now

ARPA-E, the federal agency charged with propelling the U.S. into an alternative power long term, has just announced a new round of $ 150 million in funding for new power projects that transform the way we make, transport and store energy. As usually with ARPA-E, the point is to connect the greatest brains in the energy company with economic resources to build new technologies that don’t make sense to private traders.

New Vitality, Outdated Power

The new round of funding may possibly reassure ARPA-E watchers who had been disappointed in the last round. Announced just final week, that one included $ 30 million in funding for new technologies connected to organic gasoline automobiles, specifically for lightweight tanks and other gear that would make all-natural gasoline a much more viable fuel for passenger vehicles and other small vehicle. Provided the water contamination problems and other considerations involved with organic gasoline fracking, that doesn’t specifically sound like a extended expression remedy, even though on the other hand renewable sources of all-natural gas are beginning to emerge such as landfill gas, sewage gasoline, manure gasoline, and gas from cheesemaking and other food processing operations.

A lot more and Greater Wind Energy

Speaking of brains, some of the very best brains in the private investment neighborhood are beginning to pump more income into wind power and the Division of Power just launched a new $ 180 million energy to develop offshore wind farms, so the time is ripe for new technologies that get more energy bang for the buck out of wind. Aside from far more efficient ways to capture wind power, ARPA-E is also seeking for new motors, magnetic supplies, electronics, and other turbine elements that lead to far more effective conversion of wind vitality to electrical power.

Long term Energy: All of the Above

In addition to covering new renewable energy technologies, the latest round of funding also looks for new technologies that help ease the transition from fossil fuels, including new substantial efficiency energy plants, fuel cells methods that are compatible with fossil fuels, carbon capture, water therapy, and new vitality conservation technologies and tactics.

Future Vitality: None of the Above

Of the eight categories and dozens of subcategories described in the new funding round, maybe the most intriguing proposals will come below Category eight, “None of the Above,” which has only one particular subcategory, “Technologies That Do Not Fit In Any Of The Over Categories and Subcategories.”

Or, as ARPA-E director Arun Majumdar mentioned in announcing the new funds:

“Today we are calling on our nation’s greatest and brightest to catalyze vitality breakthroughs in all regions imaginable by means of this Open Funding Chance Announcement, which illustrates the genuine objective of ARPA-E.”

Picture: Einstein figurine. License Some rights reserved by • Joyful Batatinha •.

Stick to Tina Casey on Twitter: @TinaMCasey.

 

 

Associated posts:

1. New ARPA-E Funding: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Nay, Green Jobs Aye


2. ARPA-E Launches New Round of Game Shifting Vitality Funding


3. ARPA-E Funds $ 92 Million in Vitality Investigation Major to New Green Jobs

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