DOE to Fund Three “Energy Innovation Hubs” for Speedy Commercial Deployment
The U.S. Energy Department last week outlined plans to invest $366 million in three key energy areas: production of fuels directly from sunlight; improving energy-efficient building systems design; and computer modeling and simulation for the development of advanced nuclear reactors.
Each of these so-called “Energy Innovation Hubs” would receive $122 million of funding over five years to bring together a multidisciplinary team of researchers and shorten the path from scientific discovery to technological development and commercial deployment, the DOE said.
Last week, the agency issued a funding opportunity (FOA) inviting proposals for the fuels from sunlight energy innovation hub. The deadline for proposals is March 29, 2010. Funding opportunities for the other two energy hubs are expected to be issued early next year.
Fuels from Sunlight Energy Innovation Hub
The objective of this hub is to accelerate the development of a sustainable commercial process for the conversion of sunlight directly into energy-rich chemical fuels, likely using mechanisms based on photosynthesis, the method used by plants to convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into sugar. “The Fuels from Sunlight Energy Innovation Hub will provide researchers with significant new resources to accelerate basic and applied research in the drive toward a potentially transformative new energy technology,” the DOE said. “Achievement of an efficient, cost-effective means to convert solar energy directly to fuel could have significant impact on U.S. energy security and on energy production globally.”
Modeling and Simulation for Nuclear Reactors Energy Innovation Hub
This hub is intended to produce a multi-physics computational environment that will be used by engineers to create improved understanding of issues with current and future nuclear energy technologies. The Department’s Office of Nuclear Energy hosted a workshop on the Modeling and Simulation for Nuclear Reactors Energy Innovation Hub on Dec. 7, 2009, to provide an opportunity for those interested in this hub and its upcoming FOA to fully understand the hub vision, program objectives, and the procurement process for the establishment and operation of the hub.
Energy Efficient Building Systems Design Energy Innovation Hub
The objective of the Energy Efficient Building Systems Design Energy Innovation hub is to develop highly efficient buildings components, systems, and models. Achieving the hub’s main goal of reducing energy use for indoor space conditioning will require a focus on advances in core technologies, such as advanced refrigeration cycles, as well as on development of fully instrumented infrastructure aided by buildings system design and modeling. “Such solutions could have a major impact on national electricity consumption, as the nation’s buildings consume approximately 70% of all electric power,” the DOE said.
Source: DOE