Congresswoman Lee Announces $13.4 Million in Federal Department of Energy Grants
Contact: Katherine Jolly, 510-763-0370
Washington, DC – Today, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) announced $13.4 million in Federal funding to East Bay research organizations from the Energy Department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) through its “OPEN 2012” program. The selected projects will focus on a wide array of technologies, including advanced fuels, advanced vehicle design and materials, building efficiency, carbon capture, grid modernization, renewable power, and energy storage.
“I am excited that several Berkeley-based institutions were selected for this highly competitive funding which is critical to support innovation in emerging green technology fields,” said Rep. Lee. “The fact that over 10 percent of the $130 in total grant funding announced today was awarded to research organizations in the 9th Congressional District highlights the important role the East Bay plays in rebuilding the nation’s economy of the future.”
The four East Bay grants announced today include:
$3 Million: Low-Cost Smart Window Coatings for Heat and Light
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) will develop low-cost coatings that control how both light and heat enter buildings through windows. By individually blocking infrared (heat) and visible (light) components, LBNL will significantly enhance both the energy efficiency of buildings and the comfort of occupants. These coatings can be applied to windows using inexpensive techniques similar to spray-painting a car.
$1.9 Million: Automated Modeling and Simulation of Existing Buildings for Energy Efficiency
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) will develop a portable system of sensing and computer hardware to rapidly generate indoor thermal and physical building maps. This mapping technology allows for cost-effective evaluation of heat loss and building inefficiencies. The system enables rapid data collection and export to existing computer models to guide strategies that reduce building energy usage.
$4 Million: Micro-Synchrophasors in Distribution Systems
University of California Berkeley / California Institute for Energy and Environment, Berkeley, CA
The California Institute for Energy and Environment (CIEE) will develop a device to monitor and measure electric power data from the grid’s distribution system. Data collected from a network of these devices would provide new capabilities to monitor and control grid power flow, a critical element for integrating intermittent and renewable resources such as rooftop solar and wind energy. If widely deployed, these devices could also enhance grid reliability.
$4.5 Million: High-Performance, Low-Cost Aqueous Lithium-Sulfur Batteries
PolyPlus Battery Company, Berkeley, CA
PolyPlus Battery Company and Johnson Controls will develop an innovative water-based, lithium-sulfur battery. Today, lithium-sulfur battery technology offers the lightest high-energy batteries that are completely self-contained. New features in these water-based batteries make PolyPlus’s unique, lightweight battery ideal for a variety of military and consumer applications. If successful, this technology would be able to transition to a widespread commercial and military market.
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