Blog Posts
The land-based counterparts of our oceans’ most notorious carnivores, the hungry entrepreneurs from popular reality TV show Shark Tank, recently had their mouths watering at a new product developed by ARPA-E awardee Umaro Foods. Their innovation, plant-based bacon, comes from an unexpected protein source: ocean-farmed seaweed.

Blog Posts
We recently sat down with new ARPA-E Program Director, Dr. Simon Freeman, to discuss his background, interest in energy, and goals during his tenure at ARPA-E.

Blog Posts
ARPA-E strives for excellence in both program development and program integration, to encourage new discussions and new perspectives.  This approach was on display at the recent ARPA-E “Ocean Week,” held from January 28-30, in Washington.  This three-day voyage into ARPA-E’s ocean-focused programs consisted of three events: The Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER) Program Review, the Aerodynamic Turbines Lighter and Afloat with Nautical Technologies and Integrated Servo-control (ATLANTIS) Program Kickoff, and a Submarine Hydrokinetic Industry Day.

Press Releases
ARPA-E today announced up to $25 million in funding for a new program to significantly expand the opportunities to produce macroalgae as an economically viable, renewable feedstock for biofuel and energy applications.

Press Releases
The Department of Energy today announced $22 million in funding through the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) for 18 innovative projects as part of the Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources (MARINER) program. MARINER projects will develop the tools to enable the United States to become a leading producer of macroalgae, or seaweed, helping to improve U.S. energy security and economic competitiveness. Macroalgae can be utilized as a feedstock for domestic transportation fuels, chemicals and other commercial products without competing with food crops for land and water.

Workshop
This workshop brought together experts in macroalgae cultivation, physiology and ecology with those from complimentary fields of plant breeding, oceanography, marine engineering, robotics, and biomass processing, as well as agronomy and the financial community.