The U.S. Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) has awarded a total of $130 million to 66 energy research projects, including for wind power, energy storage and grid modernization technologies.
The projects are based in 24 states, with approximately 47% of the projects led by universities, 29% by small businesses, 15% by large businesses, 7.5% by national labs and 1.5% by nonprofits.
Some of the projects include the following:
Electron Energy Corp. will receive $2.904 million to develop a technology to manufacture permanent magnets that are stronger and less expensive than those available today, based on a friction consolidation extrusion process. If successful, this technology would supply the growing market of wind turbine generators and electric-vehicle motors with alternative higher-performance materials compared to the imported rare-earth magnets currently used in these machines.
The Georgia Institute of Technology will receive $3.7 million to develop a method to capture energy from wind vortices that harvest the thin layer of hot air along the ground created by the sun. If successful, this approach is expected to cost 25% less than conventional wind and 60% less than traditional solar power.
Grid Logic Inc. will receive $3.8 million to develop a low-cost and innovative superconducting wire for electric utility applications. Using a new manufacturing technique, Grid Logic will embed very fine superconducting particles in a combination of metals to induce superconductivity. Such a wire would reduce the cost of transmission lines, motors for wind turbines and other electric devices.
A full list of the projects that received funding can be viewed here.
