Four energy-technology initiatives receive federal funding

The Department of Energy (DOE) has selected four new transformative technology projects to be a part of the Seeding Critical Advances for Leading Energy technologies with Untapped Potential (SCALEUP) program. The projects aim to improve energy efficiency, storage and sustainability.

The SCALEUP program helps bring advanced energy technologies from prototypes to market-ready products. It focuses on turning high-risk, innovative ideas into scalable and commercial versions.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) started the program in 2021 when it announced 2019 awardees. This is the third cohort of project teams that have been awarded grants to help actualize their energy solution ideas.  

“By catalyzing the commercialization of promising technologies, we are empowering the private sector to go all in to boost American manufacturing, strengthen national security and ensure our competitive edge,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said in a statement.

The projects, spanning from using aerogels and thermal batteries for energy efficiency to decarbonizing cement, have all proved a path to commercialization:

• AeroShield Materials in Waltham, Massachusetts, will develop a pilot manufacturing facility for aerogels to enhance energy efficiency in insulated glass units for buildings.
• Antora Energy in Sunnyvale, California, will scale up production of thermal batteries to convert renewable energy into heat and power for industrial use, aiding in industrial sector decarbonization. 
• Ion Storage Systems in Beltsville, Maryland, will support domestic manufacturing and commercialization of solid lithium-metal batteries for electric vehicles.
• Queens Carbon in Pine Brook, New Jersey, will develop a pilot facility to produce carbon-neutral materials for decarbonized cement production.

The first two rounds of projects from SCALEUP have already seen commercial-scale production and operations. Natron Energy, an awardee from the first cohort, has started commercial-scale sodium-ion battery operations in Michigan, while LongPath Technologies, also an awardee, has developed advanced methane detection technology.