Boston, MA – Federal and state officials today recognized four innovative clean energy companies and one Massachusetts researcher who received awards under the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) program, which supports “transformational” energy research projects.
In the four rounds of ARPA-E grants awarded, Massachusetts entities received 13 percent of the total awards and 17 percent of the dollars awarded. Of the 123 awards, 16 Massachusetts institutions and companies received a total of $62.8 million.
ARPA-E Director Dr. Arun Majumdar and officials toured Lexington-based 1366 Technologies to showcase one of the 16 game-changing Massachusetts technologies that received an ARPA-E award. 1366 Technologies Inc has created a series of manufacturing innovations that dramatically reduce the costs associated with creating multicrystalline solar cells, making the cost of solar power competitive with coal power. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology- born 1366 Technologies was the only photovoltaics (PV) company to receive an ARPA-E award during the first round. Majumdar also met with executives from FloDesign Wind Turbine Corp., FastCAP Systems Corporation, MC10, Inc.., and MIT principal researcher Donald Sadoway, who all received ARPA-E awards in the first round of the program.
“Today showcases the benefit of state and federal funding working together to leverage significant private funding for high impact technology R&D which ensures the clean energy industries of the future are born here in the US.,” said ARPA-E Director Arun Majumdar.
The Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) provided matching funds of $1.35 million to the four companies and the MIT research effort.
“These Massachusetts innovators represent the future of clean energy technology,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles, who serves as chair of the MassCEC board of directors. “Under Governor Patrick, Massachusetts has become the leading East Coast state for clean energy investment, development and deployment, and with technology leaders like these, Massachusetts has even more to gain from the transition to a clean energy future.”
The first round of ARPA-E awards—announced in October 2009—went to projects that use inventive approaches to transform the global energy landscape while advancing America’s technology leadership. The second round of awards in April 2010 targeted projects that could produce advanced biofuels more efficiently from renewable electricity instead of sunlight; design completely new types of batteries to make electric vehicles more affordable; and remove the carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants in a more cost-effective way. The third round of awards in July 2010 went to projects that focus on accelerating innovation in green technology while increasing America’s competitiveness in grid scale energy storage, power electronics and building efficiency. The fourth round of awards this month went to projects that could improve energy efficiency in buildings by reducing loads on air conditioners; reduce costs associated with generating electricity from solar power; and improve efficiency and power density of electric machines.
In addition, numerous Massachusetts start-up companies, including Watertown-based A123 Systems, and institutions are partners on ARPA-E projects in other states.
“These awards prove that the Commonwealth’s world class academic institutions and innovation resources are helping to make Massachusetts a clean energy leader,” said MassCEC Executive Director Patrick Cloney. “We are truly driving innovative technologies forward in Massachusetts.”
“ARPA-E addresses a critical gap and need for the federal government to fund breakthrough energy innovations. With MassCEC providing joint funding and support, these innovative clean energy technologies can attract private sector investment and grow to have considerable commercial impact,” said Peter Rothstein, President of the New England Clean Energy Council. “Here in Massachusetts, we recognized early on the value of collaboration between state and federal agencies to grow our clean energy sector and channel the state’s vibrant entrepreneurial energy into successful start-ups and other new businesses that create jobs.”
“This award reaffirms Massachusetts role as the leader in clean energy technologies. They’re working to make homes and businesses more energy efficient and cost-effective,” said Senator John Kerry.
“I have visited FloDesign and been a strong supporter of theirs for many years. They have a successful partnership with Western New England College and are working to bring green jobs to our region. Based in Wilbraham, they are on the cutting edge of renewable energy technology,” said Congressman Richard E. Neal.
The ARPA-E awards are funded with $400 million in Recovery Act funding, and go to ambitious research projects that could fundamentally change the way the country uses and produces energy. The awards are part of an overall $100 billion investment the Recovery Act is making in creating jobs and driving economic growth through innovation, science and technology.
Established under the America Competes Act of 2007, the ARPA-E’s mission is to develop nimble, creative and inventive approaches to transform the global energy landscape while advancing America’s technology leadership. ARPA-E projects span the energy sector, including potentially transformative innovations in energy storage, biofuels, carbon capture, renewable power, building efficiency, vehicles, and other energy technology areas.
Massachusetts’ 16 ARPA-E Lead Organization Awardees Are:
· 1366 Technologies Inc.
$4,000,000
Renewable Power
· Agrivida, Inc.
$4,565,800
Biomass Energy
· FastCAP Systems Corporation
$5,349,932
Energy Storage
· FloDesign Wind Turbine Corp.
$8,325,400
Renewable Power
· MIT
$6,949,624
Energy Storage
· Sun Catalytix Corporation
$4,085,350
Direct Solar Fuels / Energy Storage
· University of Massachusetts Amherst
$1,000,000
Electron Source – Electric Current
· MIT
$1,771,404
Electron Source – Hydrogen
· Ginkgo BioWorks
$6,000,000
Electron Source – Electric Current (via Formate)
· Harvard Medical School-Wyss Institute
$4,194,125
Electron Source – Electric Current
· MIT
$3,195,563
Electron Source – Hydrogen and/or Direct Current
· MIT
$4,973,724
Novel Semi-Solid Rechargeable Flow Battery
· MIT
$1,000,000
Sorbents in Innovative Materials & Processes for Advanced Carbon Capture Technologies
· MIT
$4,414,009
Switches/Magnetics-Lighting: Advanced Technologies for Integrated Power Electronics
· Beacon Power
$2,250,000
Flywheel Power Storage
· General Compression
$750,000
Compressed Air Energy Storage (CAES)
Created by the Green Jobs Act of 2008, the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) has as its mission to foster the growth of the Massachusetts clean energy industry by providing seed grants to companies, universities, and nonprofit organizations; funding job training and workforce development programs; and, as home of the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust, supporting the installation of renewable energy projects throughout the state.