Darwin McDaniel
The Energy Department has announced 40 projects that will share up to $98M in total funds to build technology platforms that would update the U.S. energy system.
DOE said Thursday the funding support is part of the OPEN 2018 program managed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy.
Companies, universities and nonprofit organizations proposed projects focused on transportation, energy efficiency and electricity generation and delivery, among other categories.
The OPEN 2018 funding list includes a universal battery integration system that utilizes second-life batteries from electric vehicles, an online monitoring tool to assess the stability of the power grid and an advanced pumped heat electricity storage system for hot and cold fluid storage.
DOE also picked tools that offer contact-free current transfer to eliminate the need for costly sliding contacts, brushes and liquids, and that maintain sensor-rich distribution systems.
ARPA-E plans to launch another set of small programs under the OPEN project in the coming weeks.
