Three weeks ago, nearly 1,800 energy innovators, investors, and policymakers gathered at the ninth annual ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit to discuss cutting-edge energy technologies, and how to best transition technologies out of the lab. During the three-day program, attendees from across the U.S. and 15 other countries heard from industry and government leaders, networked at focused receptions and panel discussions, and saw first-hand nearly 300 technologies featured in ARPA-E’s Technology Showcase. This year’s showcase featured technology-focused tours and six technology demonstrations…

March 16, 2018  The final day of the 2018 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit kicked off with a networking breakfast for the electrochemical flow cell community. Electrolytic components such as membranes, catalysts, MEAs and full electrolytic systems are critical to assemble world class flow cells, fuel cells and electrolyzers, yet they can be isolated in their individual technology silos. This opening session was a chance for this diverse community to connect with commercial and technical colleagues, compare notes, and potentially plan future collaborations, projects and partnerships…

March 15, 2018 Highlights from day two of the 2018 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit included video greetings to Summit attendees from Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Senator Lamar Alexander, remarks from Senator Michael Bennet and Michael Kratsios, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, and a keynote from Tim Holt, CEO of Siemens Power Generation Services. Senator Michael Bennet, U.S. Senate Tim Holt, CEO, Power Generation Services, Siemens The Powered by Diversity: Hiring and Retaining Energy Innovators Luncheon brought together…

March 14, 2018 Day one of the 2018 ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit is a wrap! ARPA-E Principal Deputy Director Dr. Chris Fall kicked off the Summit with opening remarks and Tuesday’s mainstage programming featured fireside chats with Norm Augustine and Jason Grumet, Dr. David Hart and Dr. G.P. “Bud” Peterson, and keynote addresses by Rear Admiral David J. Hahn, Chief of Naval Research and The Honorable Paul Dabbar, DOE Under Secretary for Science.    Fireside Chat with Norm Augustine, American Energy Innovation Council and Jason Grumet, Bipartisan Policy Center…

March 13, 2018  Blue River Technology’s Dr. Matt Colgan explains his team’s research to congressional staff.  Yesterday, ARPA-E hosted its annual Hill Showcase, where five project teams demonstrated their novel technologies and discussed the future of American energy innovation with congressional staff. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory’s Dr. Christer Jansson and Blue River Technology’s Drs. Matt Colgan and Chi Ngyuen joined the showcase to discuss their TERRA project, The Consortium for Advanced Sorghum Phenomics (CASP). The TERRA program aims to integrate agriculture,…

February 26, 2018 Every year, DOE’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) welcomes thousands of energy innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, and government professionals to its Energy Innovation Summit. Among all the world-class speakers, panelists, and networking opportunities, the can’t-miss star of the Summit is the Technology Showcase, where nearly 300 exhibitors show the world the future of American energy innovation. A visit to the Tech Showcase would be incomplete without a stop by one of ARPA-E’s six technology demonstrations—specialized events highlighting some of…

The 2018 ARPA-E Summit app is a great tool to enhance your Summit experience. The app will provide the most up-to-date agenda with real-time updates and notifications, as well as speaker biographies, panel descriptions, Showcase participant profiles, and more. For the 2018 Summit, a fold-out pocket guide will be available with a map of the Technology Showcase floor and at-a-glance agenda information, and all the important attendee and exhibitor details and networking tools will be on the app! All registered attendees are encouraged to download and use the app to stay in the…

January 12, 2018 Since 2009, ARPA-E has developed more than 40 focused technology programs to push the boundaries of science and technology and fundamentally change how we get, store, and use energy. As a complement to its focused programs, ARPA-E periodically releases “open” funding solicitations. These programs identify high-potential projects that address the full range of energy-related technologies—from next generation wind turbines to novel battery chemistries. The OPEN 2009, OPEN 2012, and OPEN 2015 programs have accelerated the development of more than 100 innovative advanced…

In one sentence, can you tell us what the SHIELD program is? SHIELD is a portfolio of research projects seeking to solve the massive problem of inefficient and uncomfortable single-pane windows. Why is ARPA-E interested in better windows? What’s the big deal? Most modern windows incorporate double pane units that have two planes of glass separated by about half an inch. But every year, American building owners and renters pay utility bills that include about $20 billion for the heat that flows out of old school, single-pane windows. This is an average of about $60 per person. Of…

Originally published October 17, 2017. This blog was updated January 8, 2018. Dr. Michael Ohadi discusses his background, how he came to ARPA-E, and how high efficiency, compact power systems could be a game changer for a range of industries. Tell us a little about your background. How does your previous experience provide insight into your work at ARPA-E? Mike: My focus at ARPA-E includes heat/mass transfer enhancement and process intensification using innovative designs, materials, and manufacturing techniques. Currently, I am on leave from my role as a professor of…