The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation will award $155 million to across 16 projects designed to develop technologies that will address critical industrial challenges.
Projects selected to receive awards will support the development and advancement of innovative technologies across two fields: energy-intensive industries and cross-sector technologies.
The department will distribute $89.5 million to nine projects selected for the cross-sector technologies topic. These projects will provide next-generation solutions to resolve common pain points across multiple subsectors, including industrial process heating, membrane separations, load flexibility and advanced computing.
The remaining $65.5 million to be allocated to five projects targeting energy-intensive industries. Selected initiatives will help create innovative solutions through novel technologies designed to have the greatest impact on energy-intensive sectors. These sectors may include iron and steel, cement, chemicals, forest products and food and beverages.
A selection of the project receiving the largest amounts for the cross-sector technologies field include:
Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) will receive $15 million to advance the Thermal Energy Storage Testbed (TESBed) project. The project will leverage and expand infrastructure to incorporate a TES testbed using an array of associated technologies to provide reliable thermal or electrical output supplies at industrial sites. With the deployment of the TESBed project, users will be able to choose the device that matches their energy needs and achieve greater cost-savings.
Idaho National Laboratory (INL) will spend $15 million on the Testbed for Industrial and Manufacturing Users of Power and Heat (TRIUMPH) project. The laboratory and its partners will develop a modular, pilot-scale research ecosystem dedicated to integrating advanced thermal and electrical energy systems into manufacturing processes. TRIUMPH will integrate with and expand INL’s Energy Technology Proving Ground to validate hybrid electrothermal heating strategies under real-world conditions.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) will use $12 million to develop the Center of Excellence for High-Efficiency Process Heating Systems – a center that will develop and deploy high-efficiency process heating technologies. On top of utilizing a virtual lab to advance digital capabilities for design, strategies and analysis, the center will test and evaluate high-temperature, high-efficiency process heat components and systems. These technologies would help standardize testing and evaluation processes and metrics for reliable end results across application spaces.
A selection of the project receiving the largest awards for the energy-intensive industries field include:
ORNL will receive another $40 million across two awards to establish two additional centers, both in partnership with the National Laboratory of the Rockies. The first $20 million award will go toward the Center for Advanced Cement and Concrete Technologies. The center will be dedicated toward the development and adoption of groundbreaking cement and concrete materials. Designed to accelerate innovation, workforce development and streamline research to market-ready solutions, the center will increase national laboratory capabilities across six core areas to help reduce the nation’s reliable on imported material to support the construction industry.
The second $20 million will help found the Center for Research and Advancement of Forest Product Technologies. Designed to advance innovation in the forest products sector, the center will develop and commercialize next-generation pulping, chemical recovery, forming, dewatering and drying technologies for new and established pulp and paper mills. Additional work will target smart manufacturing, digital twin and AI tool development.
The DOE will deliver $12.5 million to support the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s (LLNL) Solutions Center for Commercial Advancement of Large-scale Electrochemistry (SCCALE). The center will prioritize advancement in electrochemical technologies, providing cross-cutting, scale-up capabilities and cross-sector connections to accelerate commercial deployment. SCCALE will emphasize three priorities for research and development:
- Creating and growing the SCCALE industry ecosystem.
- Expanding capabilities to provide critical data on materials performance, durability and economic impacts.
- Expand capabilities to demonstrate and de-risk scale-up and process integration.
Photo by Th G from Pixabay
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