Last month the U.S. Department of Energy announced it is awarding $106 million in federal funding through the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) for 37 ambitious research projects that could fundamentally change the way the US uses and produces energy. Within the Batteries for Electrical Energy Storage in Transportation (BEEST) sector there were some important awards.
The BEEST program seeks to create a portfolio of high-risk, high-reward R&D projects focused on developing ultra-high energy density, low cost battery technologies that is complimentary to the DOE Office of Vehicle Technologies’ (OVT) strong existing R&D portfolio in state-of-the-art Lithium-ion batteries. It is a high-risk, high reward strategy that will invest and support novel energy storage technologies.
More information on the objectives of BEEST may be found here:
The ARPA-E BEEST Program
Of particular interest to me are the awards given to Pellion Technologies Inc. and ReVolt Technology LLC.
Pellion Technologies is an MIT spin-out that will develop a low cost magnesium ion battery technology using high throughput computational methods in combination with accelerated material synthesis techniques.
ReVolt Technology will develop a novel large format Zn-air battery concept based on a closed loop system in which the zinc anode is suspended as a slurry within a storage tank.
Further information on these concepts and the other ARPA-E projects may be found here:
APRA-E - Recovery Act Funding
This blog will keep you posted on key developments within the ARPA-E program.
Jerry
