DOE selects 68 advanced clean energy technology projects to receive $175M funding

Approximately $175 million will be split between 68 selectees from 22 states as part of a funding effort by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) targeting clean energy areas, from electric vehicles to offshore wind and nuclear recycling.

Funds were awarded under OPEN 2021 – a program meant to prioritize funding and development of high-impact, high-risk technologies to support novel clean energy efforts. Since 2009, four other iterations of these awards have been doled out, aiding commercialization in solar, geothermal, battery, lighting, and other fields. Recipients of these latest awards will include academic institutions, national labs, and private companies alike.

“Universities, companies, and our national labs are doubling down on advancing clean energy technology innovation and manufacturing in America to deliver critical energy solutions from renewables to fusion energy to tackle the climate crisis,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “DOE’s investments show our commitment to empowering innovators to develop bold plans to help America achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, create clean energy good-paying jobs and strengthen our energy independence.” 

While the full list of selectees and projects can be found ARPA-E website, a selection of the diverse recipients include:

1. Carnegie Mellon University – awarded $3,220,310 to develop more efficient fuel cells for electric trucks and SUVs
2. Hinetics – awarded $5,761,467 to create an ultra-compact 10 MW or more electrified aircraft propulsion system through work on a high-power density electric machine
3. Makai Ocean Engineering – awarded $849,951 for development of new mooring and anchoring methods that would allow grid-scale floating wind turbines and hydrokinetic systems in areas traditionally deemed inaccessible or cost-prohibitive
4. Nokia Bell Labs – awarded $2,106,380 to pursue a highly efficient thermal energy architecture capable of reducing the energy needed for data serve cooling and double up with benefits to heating and cooling in buildings at large.

Others include technologies to reduce nuclear waste, reduce fuel costs, and more.