January 11, 2017 Preparing early stage technologies to make the leap from lab to market is a key element of ARPA-E's mission. Every project team must prepare a Technology-to-Market Plan, which serves as a roadmap for planned activities to assess and advance the commercial viability of their technology. ARPA-E’s Tech-to-Market (T2M) team assists teams in constructing and carrying out these plans with the goal of developing the knowledge and skills they need to prepare for and expedite private-sector deployment of their technologies. ARPA-E Tech-to-Market Advisors are commercialization…

  During the last week of February 2017, more than 2,000 energy innovators, investors, and policymakers will gather just outside Washington, D.C. to discuss cutting-edge energy technologies and commercialization strategies at the eighth annual ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit. During the three-day program, attendees from across the United States and the world will hear from industry and government leaders, network at focused seminars and panel discussions, and have a first-hand look at the hundreds of technologies featured in ARPA-E’s Technology Showcase. Every year, the Summit…

November 29, 2016 Preparing early stage technologies to make the leap from lab to market is a key element of ARPA-E's mission. Every project team must compliment their technical work with rigorous go-to-market activities to assess and advance the commercial viability of their technology. ARPA-E’s Tech-to-Market (T2M) team assists in developing the knowledge, strategy, skills and team that performers need to expedite private-sector deployment of their technologies. ARPA-E Tech-to-Market Advisors are commercialization experts that have a critical blend of technical, business, and…

October is National Energy Action Month, a time for us to focus on energy’s critical importance to our national security, economic prosperity, and environmental well-being. Whether it’s reducing energy imports from abroad, fighting climate change, or modernizing our power grid, there is a near-unlimited number of energy challenges the United States can tackle. And while this month is special, at ARPA-E, we’re working year-round to accelerate innovations that will create a secure, affordable and sustainable American energy future.  ARPA-E helps to translate cutting-edge inventions into…

Here at ARPA-E, we focus on transformational energy projects that can be meaningfully advanced with a small investment over a set amount of time. Our streamlined awards process enables us to act quickly and catalyze cutting-edge areas of energy research. Part of making sure we have a constant infusion of fresh thinking and new perspectives comes from our Program Directors, who serve on limited terms.  ARPA-E hires Program Directors with visionary ideas for new energy technologies. During their three-year terms, Program Directors are responsible for program creation, design,…

For a large part of the United States, August means bright sunshine, sweltering heat, and high power bills. Scientists and engineers have worked for decades to harness all that light and heat efficiently, and one of the most exciting new developments in the world of solar power comes from the smart combination of two different sun-catching technologies. Many of ARPA-E’s technology programs seek to break down silos and build new technological communities around a specific energy challenge. The Full-Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS) program is bringing…

July 1, 2016 The ARPA-E Fellows Program seeks to seed innovation and creativity within the Agency by generating new ideas and connecting with leading experts to empower cross-disciplinary solutions that improve energy efficiency, reduce energy imports, and curb emissions. During their two-year tenure, ARPA-E Fellows influence the direction of American energy innovation, engaging with world-class researchers in academia and industry, entrepreneurs, and government officials.  Hear from three Fellows – two current and one alumnus - about what a day in the life of an ARPA-E Fellow is…

Biofuels have huge potential as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels for transportation. But farming crops for biofuel takes land, fresh water and other resources that are increasingly scarce as the world’s population rises -- so finding ways to grow them faster and more efficiently is key. That’s where the Department of Energy comes in. The Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) brings together experts on plant genetics, information technology and robotics in the search for bioenergy crops that are sustainable, affordable and yield abundant feedstocks for…

Rapid growth in domestic oil and gas production, driven by technological advances in horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing, has allowed the U.S. to tap vast natural gas reserves. Over its lifecycle, natural gas emits nearly half the level of greenhouse gases as coal when burned. However, methane – the main component of natural gas – is a potent greenhouse gas. Methane emissions only make up one-tenth of US emissions, but methane released into the atmosphere has 25 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide, the leading greenhouse gas.  Methane can be emitted into…

This week ARPA-E is celebrating its seventh anniversary! Back in 2009, ARPA-E was a handful of innovative technology leaders and staffers with ambitious ideas about creating an agile government agency that could transform the U.S. energy landscape. Today, ARPA-E is changing the game in energy innovation with a diverse portfolio of more than 475 early-stage energy technology projects -- many of which are showing signs of technical and commercial success. Modeled after the Department of Defense’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), ARPA-E’s mission is to catalyze and…