Public Input

ARPA-E requests public input on potential programmatic areas and opportunities to overcome technological roadblocks to the development of transformational technologies relevant to the ARPA-E mission. The information collected through this process will assist ARPA-E in developing new programs and funding opportunities.

Please be aware that this is not a funding opportunity.

Public Workshops

Overview:
In an ongoing effort to inform future funding opportunity announcements (FOA), ARPA-E will be conducting a series of workshops in targeted areas of interest. The information gathered at these workshops will supplement data received from the request for information (RFI). A summary of results from these workshops will be published on the ARPA-E website.

ARPA-E will post an announcement and invitation on this website for each workshop as their dates of approach.

ARPA-E Grid Scale Energy Storage

ARPA-E and the Department of Energy's Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability held a workshop on the topic of grid scale energy storage in Seattle, Washington. The workshop was held in conjunction with the Department of Energy-sponsored Electrical Energy Storage Applications and Technology Conference 2009 (EESAT 2009).

This workshop served as an opportunity for ARPA-E leadership to engage with leading experts to obtain insight on grid scale energy storage technology areas ripe for, and in strong need of, transformational technology development. To view output from this workshop, click HERE.

ARPA-E Direct-Solar Fuel Technologies - October 21, 2009 - Arlington, VA

ARPA-E's Direct Solar Fuel Technology workshop addressed the challenges and opportunities associated with Direct-Solar Fuel Technologies. The goal of the workshop was to bring together thought-leaders from distinct science communities to collectively develop new ideas and identify the most promising R&D pathways to capture and utilize solar energy for the production of infrastructure- compatible, organic high energy transportable fuels. Specifically, ARPA-E explored the intersection of potential synergies between high efficiency organic and inorganic light harvesting, synthetic biology for the creation of complex, high energy, infrastructure-compatible organic species, and extremophile biology for the consideration of novel energy transduction modalities that might bridge high efficiency energy capture and complex biosynthesis.

The workshop brought together experts in all three disciplines to discuss the challenges and opportunities at the interface of high efficiency energy capture and the autonomous synthesis of complex fuels. Following a brief introduction and short presentations participants broke into working groups to consider the challenges and opportunities of solar fuels modality.

The primary objectives of the workshop were to:

• Identify the most challenging aspects of high-efficiency, deployable technologies for direct solar fuels, and promising R&D paths to meet such challenges;
• Develop a realistic set of quantifiable metrics for evaluating progress towards these goals and assessing R&D success;
• Foster a spirit of camaraderie between and among ARPA-E and the workshop participants

The one day workshop was scheduled on October 21st, 2009, at the Booz Allen Hamilton Virginia Square Conference Center, Arlington, Virginia. Approximately 40 experts from academia and National/Federal labs participated. The meeting's output will help direct the actions of ARPA-E towards the most promising and appropriate high risk, high return R&D funding opportunities and management strategies. For meeting's proceedings, and report, click HERE.

ARPA-E Carbon Capture and Conversion - October 29, 2009 - Pittsburgh, PA

ARPA-E and the Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory held a workshop on the topic of carbon capture and conversion on October 29, 2009 in Pittsburgh, PA. The objectives of this workshop were to elicit a deeper understanding of the performance and cost factors that hinder the adoption of technologies for capture of carbon diozide and conversion to useful commercial products, as well as to identify emerging opportunities/challenges for transformational "over the horizon" new technology approaches that may be appropriate for ARPA-E support.

This workshop served as an opportunity for ARPA-E leadership to engage with recognized experts to obtain insight on carbon capture and conversion technology areas appropriate for, and in strong need of, transformational technology development. ARPA-E will use this information to shape the scope and focus of potential future programs. To view the meeting's proceedings, output and report, click HERE.

ARPA-E Electrical Energy Storage for Vehicles - November 3, 2009 - Arlington, VA

ARPA-E and the Department of Energy's Office of Vehicle Technologies held a workshop on the topic of energy storage for vehicles on November 3, 2009 in Arlington, VA.

This workshop served as an opportunity for ARPA-E leadership to engage with leading experts to obtain insight on vehicle energy storage technology areas that are ripe for and in strong need of transformational technology development. ARPA-E will use this information to shape the scope and focus of potential future programs in energy storage technology for vehicles. To view the workshop's proceedings, output and report, click HERE.

Potential Future Workshops

ARPA-E is considering future workshops on additional topics in the coming months. Check the site or get added to our mailing list for notification.

Request for Information (RFI) - Issued 8/31/09, Due 9/25/09

Instructions:
Read the PDF document, Request for Information (RFI), below. To be considered, comments must be provided to ARPA-E-RFI@hq.doe.gov by September 25, 2009 5:00PM EST.