Status: ALUMNI
State: CA
Project Term: 10/01/2010 - 09/30/2013
Program: GRIDS
Award: $1,481,528

University of Southern California (USC)

University of Southern California (USC) is developing an iron-air rechargeable battery for large-scale energy storage that could help integrate renewable energy sources into the electric grid. Iron-air batteries have the potential to store large amounts of energy at low cost—iron is inexpensive and abundant, while oxygen is freely obtained from the air we breathe. However, current iron-air battery technologies have suffered from low efficiency and short life spans. USC is working to dramatically increase the efficiency of the battery by placing chemical additives on the battery's iron-…

Status: ALUMNI
State: CA
Project Term: 03/01/2013 - 03/19/2018
Program: OPEN 2012
Award: $2,719,018

University of Southern California (USC)

University of Southern California (USC) is developing a water-based, metal-free, grid-scale flow battery that will be cheaper and more rapidly produced than other batteries. Flow batteries store chemical energy in external tanks instead of within the battery container. This allows for cost-effective scalability because adding storage capacity is as simple as expanding the tank. Batteries for grid-scale energy storage must be inexpensive, robust, and sustainable—many of today’s mature battery technologies do not meet all these requirements. Using innovative designs and extremely low-cost…

Status: Selected
State: TBD
Project Term: TBD
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: TBD

University of Southern California (USC)

The University of Southern California is developing geologic hydrogen production and extraction techniques by utilizing industrial oil and gas methods. The proposed technology would be a modified version of the Huff-n-Puff process, which is practiced for shale gas recovery. Multiple process scenarios would be used to optimize the generation, accumulation, and extraction of geologic hydrogen. Laboratory studies on rock cores would be explored over multiple length scales and modeling would be used to determine how large-scale reservoirs will interact with this production method.

Status: ALUMNI
State: MS
Project Term: 06/29/2018 - 07/15/2019
Program: MARINER
Award: $500,000

University of Southern Mississippi (USM)

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will lead a MARINER Category 1 project to design and develop a novel, robust seaweed growth system capable of deployment across the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. The technology will enable precise positioning of large farm structures to maximize productivity and actively avoid surface hazards such as weather or marine traffic. The seaweed will grow while affixed to support ropes strung between concentric rings. The structure will have automated buoyancy compensation devices to optimize depth minute-by-minute for maximum light…

Status: ALUMNI
State: MS
Project Term: 07/02/2018 - 07/15/2019
Program: MARINER
Award: $499,999

University of Southern Mississippi (USM)

The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) will lead a MARINER Category 1 project to design and develop a semi-autonomous enclosure, called a seaweed paddock, to contain and grow mats of free-floating Sargassum, a brown seaweed species native to the eastern Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. One of the major cost drivers for production of macroalgae is the expense of the farming equipment, particularly anchors used to hold the farms in place in a particular spot in the ocean. Unlike most kelps, Sargassum does not require anchoring to a fixed structure, but rather will grow as…

Status: ALUMNI
State: TN
Project Term: 06/06/2019 - 09/05/2021
Program: DAYS
Award: $1,499,149

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT)

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville team will develop an energy storage system based on an innovative electrolyzer/fuel cell combination. Typically, fuel cells produce water from hydrogen and oxygen. The Tennessee team will instead use the fuel cell to produce hydrogen peroxide, a liquid that can be stored. When extra power is needed on the grid, the fuel cell will produce peroxide and electricity. Available electricity then can be used to convert the peroxide back to hydrogen and oxygen during the charging cycle, which can be stored for future use. The benefit of using peroxide rather…

Status: ALUMNI
State: TN
Project Term: 11/10/2016 - 03/19/2018
Program: IDEAS
Award: $500,000

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT)

The University of Tennessee (UT) will develop a reversible Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) catalyst that can be used both as a peroxide-producing electrolyzer and in reversible air batteries. The ORR catalyst development seeks to significantly improve peroxide electrolysis efficiency and achieve high charge and discharge rates in air-breathing batteries. In conjunction with the new catalyst, an anion exchange membrane (AEM) will be used to further increase the electrolyzer efficiency and reduce peroxide production costs. In the reversible air battery, the AEM increases battery power…

Status: ALUMNI
State: TN
Project Term: 02/01/2013 - 07/31/2016
Program: OPEN 2012
Award: $2,261,744

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT)

The University of Tennessee (UT) is developing technology to rapidly screen the genetic traits of individual plant cells for their potential to improve biofuel crops. By screening individual cells, researchers can identify which lines are likely to be good cellulosic feedstocks without waiting for the plants to grow to maturity. UT’s technology will allow high throughput screening of engineered plant cells to identify those with traits that significantly reduce the time and resources required to maximize biofuel production from switchgrass.

Status: ALUMNI
State: TN
Project Term: 02/04/2016 - 02/03/2020
Program: OPEN 2015
Award: $3,589,719

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT)

The University of Tennessee (UT) team proposes to develop a tool that will revolutionize plant metabolic engineering by using a large scale DNA synthesis strategy. The UT team will develop synthetic chloroplast (the part of the plant cell where photosynthesis occurs) genomes, called “synplastomes.” Rather than introducing or editing genes individually inside the plant cell, the UT team will synthesize a complete chloroplast genome in the laboratory that can be readily modified and then introduced into the plant. UT’s synplastomes will have significant advantages over conventional…

Status: ALUMNI
State: TN
Project Term: 06/24/2016 - 12/23/2021
Program: OPEN 2015
Award: $3,400,000

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT)

University of Tennessee (UT), along with their partners, will develop a new type of microgrid design, along with its corresponding controller. Like most other microgrids, it will have solar PV-based distributed generation and be capable of grid-connected or disconnected (islanded) operations. Unlike other microgrids, this design will incorporate smart grid capabilities including intelligent switches and high-speed communication links. The included controller will accommodate and utilize these smart grid features for enhanced performance and reduced costs. The microgrid controller will be open…

Status: ACTIVE
State: TN
Project Term: 06/21/2021 - 12/20/2024
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $1,400,000

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT)

A medium voltage direct current (MVDC) system provides lower distribution losses, higher power carrying capacity, and reduced conductor material compared with its low voltage alternative current counterpart. These benefits are critical to meet stringent weight and size requirements for aviation applications. The University of Tennessee will develop a lightweight, reliable, efficient, and flexible protection solution for future electrified aircraft propulsion systems that are expected to use a 1 kV to 10 kV MVDC distribution system. The team will develop a modular architecture with a highly…

Status: ACTIVE
State: TN
Project Term: 08/29/2022 - 08/28/2025
Program: OPEN 2021
Award: $2,418,576

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT)

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT) will develop a high-temperature, chemically resistant, diamond-based microfluidic alpha spectrometer (DiMAS) that will enable accurate online and/or at-line (the sample is removed and analyzed near the production process) measurement of alpha-emitting isotopes in LF-MSR fuel. The team will develop an optimal spectrometer design by using experimental and computational methods to evaluate the sensor architecture, packaging, and performance. The team also plans to develop on-site data processing algorithms that will provide rapid information via remote…

Status: ACTIVE
State: TN
Project Term: 10/28/2022 - 10/27/2024
Program: HESTIA
Award: $2,557,383

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT)

The University of Tennessee-Knoxville (UTK) will develop higher performance, carbon-negative, and eco-friendly lignin polyurethane (PU) foams as a building insulation material via non-isocyanate synthesis. Non-isocyanate PU via polyaddition of cyclic carbonates and amines is non-toxic and non-moisture sensitive. Lignin is inherently hydrophobic, antibacterial, and fire-resistant, which are essential properties of insulation materials. Lignin’s propensity to char instead of ignite is advantageous but insufficient to address modern anti-flammability requirements. UTK will apply anti-…

Status: ACTIVE
State: TN
Project Term: 05/10/2024 - 05/09/2027
Program: ULTRAFAST
Award: $2,759,821

University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT)

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville will develop scalable light-triggered semiconductor switch modules for the protection of grid and aviation power systems. The proposed switch module seeks to achieve cost savings, fast switching speeds, and built-in redundancy by using sub-modules featuring lower-voltage and lower-current silicon carbide devices for desired higher application voltage and current levels. The University of Tennessee’s switch modules are controlled by light instead of electrical signals to minimize the electromagnetic interference and to simplify electrical isolation design.

Status: ALUMNI
State: TX
Project Term: 01/18/2023 - 05/31/2023
Program: MINER
Award: $2,999,994

University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington)

The University of Texas at Arlington will develop two technologies to produce lithium (Li) and nickel (Ni) from CO2-reactive minerals and rocks that contain calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg), while sequestering CO2 in the form of carbonate solids (calcium carbonate, or CaCO3; magnesium carbonate, or MgCO3; and variants thereof). The technologies, acoustic stimulation and electrolytic proton production, use electricity to liberate valuable metal ions from the surrounding mineral matrix at sub-boiling temperatures (~20-80°C). Feedstocks will include Li, Ca, Mg-rich igneous and sedimentary…

Status: ACTIVE
State: TX
Project Term: 08/23/2023 - 08/24/2026
Program: COOLERCHIPS
Award: $2,843,224

University of Texas at Arlington (UT Arlington)

The University of Texas at Arlington and collaborators will develop a novel hybrid cooling technology to address the growing need for advanced thermal management solutions for high-power data centers. At the server level, the design combines direct-to-chip evaporative cooling module including electrodeposition of metal on high-powered devices to eliminate thermal interface materials and to reduce chip-to-coolant thermal resistance, and air cooling including Rear Door Heat Exchanger for the rest of the system and thus enabling a robust and extendible solution for the future as well as an easy…

Status: ALUMNI
State: TX
Project Term: 05/08/2020 - 11/30/2022
Program: DIFFERENTIATE
Award: $1,616,524

University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

The University of Texas at Austin proposes to create efficient, accurate, and scalable deep neural network (DNN) representations of design optimization problem solutions. The inputs to these DNN representations will be the vector of design requirement parameters, the outputs will be the optimal design variables, and the goal is to learn the map from inputs to outputs (i.e., inverse design). The team will focus on the problem of the optimal shape design of aerodynamic lifting surfaces—in particular aircraft wings—using Reynolds-Average Navier Stokes models for minimal drag and energy savings.…

Status: ALUMNI
State: TX
Project Term: 11/21/2011 - 06/30/2015
Program: HEATS
Award: $2,602,961

University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) will demonstrate a high-energy density and low-cost thermal storage system that will provide efficient cabin heating and cooling for EVs. Compared to existing HVAC systems powered by electric batteries in EVs, the innovative hot-and-cold thermal batteries-based technology is expected to decrease the manufacturing cost and increase the driving range of next-generation EVs. These thermal batteries can be charged with off-peak electric power together with the electric batteries. Based on innovations in composite materials offering twice the energy…

Status: ALUMNI
State: TX
Project Term: 10/01/2012 - 12/31/2015
Program: MOVE
Award: $4,238,439

University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

The Center for Electromechanics at the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) is developing an at-home natural gas refueling system that compresses natural gas using a single piston. Typically, at-home refueling stations use reciprocating compressor technology, in which an electric motor rotates a crankshaft tied to several pistons in a multi-stage compressor. These compressor systems can be inefficient and their complex components make them expensive to manufacture, difficult to maintain, and short-lived. The UT Austin design uses a single piston compressor driven by a directly coupled…

Status: ALUMNI
State: TX
Project Term: 03/28/2013 - 09/26/2016
Program: OPEN 2012
Award: $2,986,145

University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

The University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) is developing low-cost coatings that control how light enters buildings through windows. By individually blocking infrared and visible components of sunlight, UT Austin’s design would allow building occupants to better control the amount of heat and the brightness of light that enters the structure, saving heating, cooling, and lighting costs. These coatings can be applied to windows using inexpensive techniques similar to spray-painting a car to keep the cost per window low. Windows incorporating these coatings and a simple control system have…

Status: ACTIVE
State: TX
Project Term: 04/08/2021 - 05/29/2024
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $1,800,000

University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin) will use novel nanotechnology to develop a power transformer capable of operating for 80 years, increasing U.S. grid reliability. Key elements of UT- Austin’s research includes (1) the development and synthesis of cellulosic material and nano-additives (boron nitride, oxides) for paper and pressboard, (2) use of validated high-fidelity models to predict the thermal and electrical performance and life of transformers, (3) refurbishing a transformer to assess the impact of new materials, and (4) scale-up manufacturing of down-selected nanomaterials.

Status: ACTIVE
State: TX
Project Term: 06/26/2023 - 06/25/2026
Program: MINER
Award: $4,997,015

University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

The University of Texas, Austin, will conduct an in-situ injection of CO2 dissolved in water to permanently sequester CO2 via carbon-negative reactions (carbon mineralization), chemically fracture the rock via reaction-driven cracking before mining to reduce extraction and comminution energy by at least 50%, replace the CO2-reactive rock waste with carbonate to reduce energy needed for separation, improve concentrate grade, and increase ore recovery, and expand the lifespan of the mine as a CO2 sink once the ore is exhausted. The methodology applies to ultramafic rock-hosted mining operations…

Status: Selected
State: TBD
Project Term: TBD
Program: SEA-CO2
Award: TBD

University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

The University of Texas at Austin is developing an acoustic sensor network to quantify ecosystem activity and how effectively carbon is stored in shallow seagrass beds, an important sink in the coastal blue carbon cycle. The proposed sensor network detects the acoustic signature of bubbles that are released from seagrass leaves as photosynthesis produces excess oxygen. The network also analyzes the refraction of sound through the seafloor to estimate the quantity of carbon locked in seagrass roots and sediment. This passive listening technology would aid in monitoring the performance of large…

Status: Selected
State: TBD
Project Term: TBD
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: TBD

University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

The University of Texas at Austin is developing a foam injection approach to extract geologic hydrogen. Conventional fluids like water or steam may present challenges for extracting hydrogen because of the insolubility of the hydrogen gas and bubbles being trapped. Instead, the injected foam sweeps, captures, and extracts clustered hydrogen bubbles from mineral surfaces to enable higher recovery efficiency and transport. The project team will design, synthesize, and characterize foam compositions for optimal stability and hydrogen uptake behavior in the reservoir.

Status: Selected
State: TBD
Project Term: TBD
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: TBD

University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin)

The University of Texas at Austin is investigating effective and economical catalyst-enhanced reaction mechanisms to spur geologic hydrogen production. The team will analyze reaction catalysts that exist naturally in iron-rich rock, including nickel and platinum group elements, that could increase serpentinization reaction rates and lower the required reaction temperatures. The study will evaluate the most likely regions for geologic hydrogen production in North America, including mafic basalts in the Midcontinent Rift system, which have the potential to be a large source of geologic hydrogen.

Status: ACTIVE
State: TX
Project Term: 04/16/2020 - 06/15/2024
Program: ATLANTIS
Award: $3,300,000

University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas)

The University of Texas at Dallas (UT-Dallas) team plans to develop a floating turbine design featuring a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT). The design will exploit inherent VAWT characteristics favorable to deep water environments and use a CCD approach to overcome common challenges. VAWTs offer advantages over traditional offshore wind designs because they have a lower vertical center of gravity and center of pressure; require a smaller, less expensive floating platform; do not need yaw control systems; and have the potential to reduce operations and maintenance costs due to platform-level…

Status: ALUMNI
State: TX
Project Term: 06/07/2012 - 02/15/2015
Program: REACT
Award: $2,848,278

University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas)

University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) is developing a unique electric motor with the potential to efficiently power future classes of EVs and renewable power generators. Unlike many of today's best electric motors—which contain permanent magnets that use expensive, imported rare earths—UT Dallas' motor completely eliminates the use of rare earth materials. Additionally, the motor contains two stators. The stator is the stationary part of the motor that uses electromagnetism to help its rotor spin and generate power. The double-stator design has the potential to generate very high…

Status: ALUMNI
State: OK
Project Term: 11/07/2016 - 12/31/2018
Program: FOCUS
Award: $922,378

University of Tulsa

The University of Tulsa is developing a hybrid solar converter with a specialized light-filtering mirror that splits sunlight by wavelength, allowing part of the sunlight spectrum to be converted directly to electricity with photovoltaics (PV), while the rest is captured and stored as heat. By integrating a light-filtering mirror that passes the visible part of the spectrum to a PV cell, the system captures and converts as much as possible of the photons into high-value electricity and concentrates the remaining light onto a thermal fluid, which can be stored and be used as needed. University…

Status: ALUMNI
State: OK
Project Term: 05/15/2014 - 02/14/2017
Program: FOCUS
Award: $1,762,075

University of Tulsa

The University of Tulsa is developing a hybrid solar converter that captures ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths of light in a thermal fluid while directing visible wavelengths of light to a photovoltaic (PV) cell to produce electricity. The PV cells can be kept at moderate temperatures while high-quality heat is captured in the thermal fluid for storage and conversion into electricity when needed. The thermal fluid will flow behind the PV cell to capture waste heat and then flow in front of the PV cell, where it heats further and also act as a filter, passing only the portions of sunlight…

Status: ALUMNI
State: UT
Project Term: 12/01/2011 - 02/28/2015
Program: HEATS
Award: $2,662,493

University of Utah

The University of Utah is developing a compact hot-and-cold thermal battery using advanced metal hydrides that could offer efficient climate control system for EVs. The team's innovative designs of heating and cooling systems for EVs with high energy density, low-cost thermal batteries could significantly reduce the weight and eliminate the space constraint in automobiles. The thermal battery can be charged by plugging it into an electrical outlet while charging the electric battery and it produces heat and cold through a heat exchanger when discharging. The ultimate goal of the project…

Status: ALUMNI
State: UT
Project Term: 02/18/2014 - 09/30/2019
Program: METALS
Award: $4,996,597

University of Utah

The University of Utah is developing a reactor that dramatically simplifies titanium production compared to conventional processes. Today's production processes are expensive and inefficient because they require several high-energy melting steps to separate titanium from its ores. The University of Utah's reactor utilizes a magnesium hydride solution as a reducing agent to break less expensive titanium ore into its components in a single step. By processing low-grade ore directly, the titanium can be chemically isolated from other impurities. This design eliminates the series of complex, high…

Status: ALUMNI
State: UT
Project Term: 01/10/2014 - 03/19/2018
Program: METALS
Award: $2,980,000

University of Utah

The University of Utah is developing a light metal sorting system that can distinguish multiple grades of scrap metal using an adjustable and varying magnetic field. Current sorting technologies based on permanent magnets can only separate light metals from iron-based metals and tend to be inefficient and expensive. The University of Utah’s sorting technology utilizes an adjustable magnetic field rather than a permanent magnet to automate scrap sorting, which could offer increased accuracy, less energy consumption, lower CO2 emissions, and reduced costs. Due to the flexibility of this design…

Status: ALUMNI
State: UT
Project Term: 06/21/2019 - 06/20/2023
Program: OPEN 2018
Award: $2,164,187

University of Utah

The University of Utah will develop ultra-low power sensors engineered to passively detect specific volatile emissions, and enable the early detection of invasive weeds and/or insects in biofuel crop production. Farmers currently lose about 40% of crops due to weeds and insects that ideally need to be removed within a week of detection to prevent significant damage. Earlier detection could minimize such losses, and enable decreased applications of pesticides and herbicides, significantly increasing the overall energy efficiency of crop production and economic viability of energy biomass…

Status: ALUMNI
State: UT
Project Term: 10/01/2019 - 06/13/2022
Program: Exploratory Topics
Award: $1,430,556

University of Utah

Develop extremely durable concretes with engineered foam glass aggregates that mimic the reactive volcanic glass of 2000-year-old Roman architectural and marine concretes. These innovative materials, mixtures and processing technologies, could improve durability at 4 times typical 50-year Portland cement concrete service life and reduce by up to 85% the energy and emissions associated with production and deployment.

Status: ACTIVE
State: UT
Project Term: 01/13/2021 - 07/12/2024
Program: SMARTFARM
Award: $1,899,316

University of Utah

The University of Utah aims to develop and deploy a distributed carbon sensor system that is buried into the soil, capable of locally stimulating a surrounding volume of soils at multiple depths, and sensing carbon and carbon flux at ultra-low operational cost. The sensors will enable high-accuracy and real-time decision data for cost-effective carbon removal, storage, and management to promote climate change mitigation via agriculture and managed land systems. The team aims to develop (1) a UV-based non-destructive CO2 sampling technique, (2) low-cost, wideband, and high-selectivity CO2…

Status: ACTIVE
State: UT
Project Term: 05/01/2021 - 04/30/2024
Program: ULTIMATE
Award: $1,250,000

University of Utah

The University of Utah will use physical metallurgy principles and artificial intelligence to identify the chemistry of new niobium (Nb)-based refractory alloys to ensure they have excellent high-temperature properties without being brittle at low temperatures. The artificial intelligence approach will discover promising compositions for the new alloys based on existing knowledge of simple alloys. The computational materials models will be used to predict the proper processing conditions for the material chemistries. This two-step process can down-select the alloy compositions and…

Status: ACTIVE
State: UT
Project Term: 01/18/2023 - 01/17/2026
Program: CURIE
Award: $1,454,068

University of Utah

The University of Utah will research a pyrochemical process for efficiently converting UNF to a uranium/transuranic (U/TRU) product suitable for sodium-cooled fast reactors or molten-salt fueled reactors. This process is based on two key separations steps that can occur in a single reaction vessel: dissolution of oxide UNF in molten lithium chloride (LiCl)-potassium chloride (KCl) salt and electrochemical recovery of U/TRU metal on a cathode. Overall, this technology should result in less material handling and lower space requirements than conventional pyroprocessing technology via…

Status: Selected
State: TBD
Project Term: TBD
Program: SEA-CO2
Award: TBD

University of Utah

University of Utah is developing a micro-optical, micro-electronic seafloor probe that would extend the longevity and persistence of current-day seafloor carbon storage measurement tools. The proposed probes—deployed in a group across a wide seafloor area—would be inserted directly into the seafloor to measure the accumulation of carbon in ocean sediments for more than a year. University of Utah’s probe would house a newly developed sensor that evaluates carbon dioxide and pH using a novel bubble mechanism, a low-power method that avoids the degradation, calibration, and power issues of…

Status: Selected
State: TBD
Project Term: TBD
Program: ROSIE
Award: TBD

University of Utah

The University of Utah is developing a hydrogen-reduction melt-less steelmaking technology. The cornerstone of the technology is the direct reduction and alloying from concentrated ore to make steel products, thereby circumventing traditional iron and steelmaking methods. The proposed process has the potential to drastically reduce energy consumption by eliminating several high-energy steps in traditional iron and steelmaking. The process is conducted at substantially lower temperatures than conventional methods.

Status: ALUMNI
State: VT
Project Term: 05/25/2016 - 12/31/2022
Program: NODES
Award: $3,967,508

University of Vermont (UVM)

The University of Vermont (UVM) will develop and test a new approach for demand-side management called packetized energy management (PEM) that builds on approaches used to manage data packets in communication networks without centralized control and with a high level of privacy. The PEM system will allow millions of small end-use devices to cooperatively balance energy supply and demand in real time without jeopardizing the reliability of the grid or the quality of service to consumers. The project will develop the PEM method to optimally manage the rapid fluctuations that come with large…

Status: ALUMNI
State: VA
Project Term: 04/01/2016 - 05/31/2022
Program: OPEN 2015
Award: $5,535,380

University of Virginia (UVA)

The team led by the University of Virginia (UVA) will design the world’s largest wind turbine by employing a new downwind turbine concept called Segmented Ultralight Morphing Rotor (SUMR). Increasing the size of wind turbine blades will enable a large increase in power from today’s largest turbines – from an average of 5-10MW to a proposed 50MW system. The SUMR concept allows blades to deflect in the wind, much like a palm tree, to accommodate a wide range of wind speeds (up to hurricane-wind speeds) with reduced blade load, thus reducing rotor mass and fatigue. The novel blades also use…

Status: ALUMNI
State: VA
Project Term: 08/09/2019 - 02/08/2023
Program: OPEN 2018
Award: $1,186,934

University of Virginia (UVA)

The University of Virginia (U.Va.), in collaboration with C-Crete Technologies, is developing a new approach for making cement by leveraging the ways in which certain mineral silicates react with carbon dioxide and water. These reactions produce mineral phases that are much stronger and more stable than commercial cements, thereby reducing CO2 emissions and energy use over time. Chemically, the products of these reactions share more in common with ancient Roman cements than they do with OPC. Because of the temperatures and pressures required to make these materials, the project will initially…

Status: ACTIVE
State: VA
Project Term: 05/06/2021 - 09/30/2024
Program: ULTIMATE
Award: $1,030,000

University of Virginia (UVA)

A turbine engine's combustion environment can rapidly degrade high temperature alloys, which means they must be coated. This coating must be able to expand with the alloy so it adheres during temperature cycling, prevent combustion gases from permeating to the underlying alloy, and possess ultra-low thermal conductivity to protect the alloy from high surface temperatures. The University of Virginia will develop a novel coating for high temperature alloys that enables both a dramatic increase in upper use temperature for turbine engine blades and increased engine efficiency. The proposed…

Status: ACTIVE
State: VA
Project Term: 08/02/2021 - 08/01/2024
Program: SHARKS
Award: $2,900,000

University of Virginia (UVA)

The University of Virginia proposes a simple, resilient, and scalable solution, inspired by unsteady lift-based hydrodynamics observed in fish swimming. By adapting the concept of biological unsteady lift, the University of Virginia’s BIRE system aims to generate energy from the river environment through real-time control of pairs of out-of-phase oscillating hydrofoils placed into oncoming flow. The river flow causes the two foils to oscillate in opposite directions. A novel power conversion mechanism converts the oscillatory motion of the foils to unidirectional rotary motion to harvest the…

Status: ALUMNI
State: WA
Project Term: 08/24/2015 - 06/30/2020
Program: ALPHA
Award: $6,025,830

University of Washington (UW)

The University of Washington (UW), along with its partner Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, will work to mitigate instabilities in the plasma, and thus provide more time to heat and compress it while minimizing energy loss. The team will use the Z-Pinch approach for simultaneously heating, confining, and compressing plasma by applying an intense, pulsed electrical current which generates a magnetic field. While the simplicity of the Z-Pinch is attractive, it has been plagued by plasma instabilities. UW will investigate Z-pinch fusion using sheared-flow stabilized plasmas, meaning that…

Status: ALUMNI
State: WA
Project Term: 01/01/2013 - 12/31/2018
Program: AMPED
Award: $3,402,090

University of Washington (UW)

University of Washington (UW) is developing a predictive battery management system that uses innovative modeling software to manage how batteries are charged and discharged, helping to optimize battery use. A significant problem with today's battery packs is their lack of internal monitoring capabilities, which interferes with our ability to identify and manage performance issues as they arise. UW's system would predict the physical states internal to batteries quickly and accurately enough for the data to be used in making decisions about how to control the battery to optimize its output and…

Status: ALUMNI
State: WA
Project Term: 03/01/2012 - 10/14/2015
Program: GENI
Award: $1,423,330

University of Washington (UW)

The University of Washington (UW) and the University of Michigan are developing an integrated system to match well-positioned energy storage facilities with precise control technologies so the electric grid can more easily include energy from renewable power sources like wind and solar. Because renewable energy sources provide intermittent power, it is difficult for the grid to efficiently allocate those resources without developing solutions to store their energy for later use. The two universities are working with utilities, regulators, and the private sector to position renewable energy…

Status: ALUMNI
State: WA
Project Term: 09/29/2017 - 03/28/2019
Program: IDEAS
Award: $482,548

University of Washington (UW)

The University of Washington (UW) will develop a new approach to generate edge transport barriers (ETBs), a way to confine and retain plasma heat. Many low-cost magnetized target fusion concepts rely on plasmas having sufficient energy confinement to reach the necessary densities and temperatures required for the large-scale production of fusion power. ETBs enable higher performance (better energy confinement), and more compact fusion plasmas for mainline fusion experiments. Unfortunately, state-of-the-art ETB generation is thought to be impractical for smaller and/or pulsed plasma…

Status: ALUMNI
State: WA
Project Term: 02/01/2013 - 06/30/2016
Program: OPEN 2012
Award: $3,999,673

University of Washington (UW)

The University of Washington (UW) is developing technologies for microbes to convert methane found in natural gas into liquid diesel fuel. Specifically the project seeks to significantly increase the amount of lipids produced by the microbe, and to develop novel catalytic technology to directly convert these lipids to liquid fuel. These engineered microbes could enable small-scale methane-to-liquid conversion at lower cost than conventional methods. Small-scale, microbe-based conversion would leverage abundant, domestic natural gas resources and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

Status: ALUMNI
State: WA
Project Term: 07/01/2020 - 06/30/2023
Program: BETHE
Award: $1,499,983

University of Washington (UW)

The University of Washington will advance the technical viability of a novel method, Imposed-Dynamo Current Drive (IDCD), for sustaining and heating spheromak plasmas as the basis of compact, low-cost fusion power plants. A traditional tokamak fusion reactor has a toroidal confinement area, similar shape to a donut, with a hole in the middle. The spheromak reduces the size of the hole as much as possible, resulting in a spherical plasma shape similar to a cored apple. IDCD can efficiently couple large amounts of power to the plasma at much lower costs relative to other methods of higher-…