Wednesday, April 11, 2012

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) has issued approximately $43 million for two new programs to develop next-generation energy storage technologies that could significantly improve U.S. energy security and efficiency. These programs leverage partnerships with the Department of Defense (DOD) and small businesses to engage America’s brightest scientists, engineers and entrepreneurs to research breakthrough electrical energy storage technologies for a wide variety of applications.

Advanced Management and Protection of Energy-storage Devices (AMPED) 

AMPED will fund research of advanced sensing and control technologies to dramatically improve the safety, performance, and lifetime of energy storage systems. These innovations will enable a new generation of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles, and enhance the efficiency and reliability of the U.S. electricity grid. Furthermore, these technologies will also extend the capability of hybrid energy storage modules being developed through a planned joint collaboration by ARPA-E and the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. The goal of this partnership will be to enable critical Department of Defense war-fighting capabilities pursuant to an existing Memorandum of Understanding between the Departments of Energy and Defense. Approximately $30 million will be made available for AMPED. 

Energy Storage SBIR/STTR 

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are competitive U.S. Government funding programs focused on spurring innovation within the domestic small businesses community. ARPA-E recognizes the critical role that small businesses play in developing energy storage technologies and is soliciting small business applicants to effectively move stationary and transportation energy storage technologies towards the market through combined phase projects.

This solicitation focuses on five research areas. The two research areas for stationary energy storage include: (1) low-cost, grid-scale storage, particularly for electric distribution systems supporting high local-penetration of electric vehicles with high-rate charging demands, and (2) low-cost storage for consumer-side of the meter applications. The three research areas for transportation energy storage are: (1) new battery chemistries, (2) new battery architectures, and (3) innovative designs for electric storage systems. Approximately $13 million will be made available for this program.