U.S. SEEKS DISRUPTIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES.

May 6, 2009 – Vol.14 No.7

U.S. SEEKS DISRUPTIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES.
by Bruce Mulliken, Green Energy News

Here’s a question I always wanted to ask Washington politicos:

“Please answer yes or no. If there was a new energy technology discovered that was pollution free, emitted no greenhouse gases, utilized only domestic resources, created thousands if not millions of jobs, opened new business opportunities yet was so cheap that it would put both Big Oil and Big Coal out of business, would you support it, do everything in your power to help fully commercialize this technology? (Again, please just answer yes or no. Saying there is no such a technology is not an answer.)”

The replies would tell who really has the intestinal fortitude to tackle the dual challenges of energy and climate change.

Typically, Washington is not about making major changes and major disruptions yet there is a very faint ray of hope that considering energy and climate, something drastic has to happen and Washington is willing to do it. Evidence of that showed up in a funding opportunities notice released as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) (better known as the Stimulus Package). The following is the official summary of this particular funding opportunity:



“ The U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) (a new DOE Agency created specifically to foster R&D of transformational energy related technologies) requests proposals for Advanced Research Projects. Transformational technologies are defined as those that disrupt the status quo; not merely better than current technologies, but significantly better. This RFP supports the Nation’s need to overcome the threats posed by climate change and energy security, arising from its reliance on traditional uses of fossil fuels and the dominant use of oil in transportation. Concept papers are required, and are due 6/2/09. Final proposals accepted by invitation only.”



With this notice, and the creation of ARPA-E itself, the Obama Administration is sending a new message: Yes, we are willing to replace oil and coal with something else. Yes, we are willing to look into drastic changes.

The award ceiling is $20 million. Cost sharing or matching funding is required and eligible applicants are unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity), but it appears as though you or your company must be a registered Federal Government Vendor. (If you’re interested in this opportunity, check with DOE for particulars on this requirement. I may be wrong.)

One of the technologies that seems a likely candidate for this funding is the rebirth of cold fusion, or now known as a low energy nuclear reaction (LENR) such as featured in a 60 Minutes TV news magazine segment on April 19. A LENR device that supplied heat or power (or both) using a radiation-free nuclear reaction to power our homes and our cars would certain fit the definition of “transformational technology”. (Defined as one that disrupts the status quo.)

In the television report three laboratories were profiled: Energetics Technologies, a New Jersey based company with research facilities in Omer, Israel; SRI International of Menlo Park, California; and ENEA, the Italian National Agency for New Technologies.

There’s more to the story than was broadcast that evening.


What the report didn’t make clear was that Energetics Technologies pioneered the LENR process profiled on the program, which was then successfully replicated by both SRI and ENEA. Further, 60 Minutes didn’t point out that the now famous Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) memorandum which, according to the broadcast, concludes that there is ‘no doubt that anomalous excess heat is produced in these experiments.” The memorandum specifically referred to the results of the DARPA-funded SRI replication, and to the ENEA replication of the research pioneered by Energetics Technologies.

We’ll be hearing more from Energetics Technologies. That’s for certain.

Another game-changing, disruptive technology that may be eagerly seeking government funding is a new battery developed by Ceramatec, the R&D arm of CoorsTek, and a developer of advanced materials and electrochemical devices.

Ceramatec, of Salt Lake City, Utah, isn’t building electric car batteries. It’s developing deep-storage battery systems for homes that can be recharged by solar or small wind power. The electro chemistry the company is using is solid sodium/sulfur that uses a paper thin ceramic membrane between the two electrodes to allow the battery to operate at fairly low temperatures, below 90 degrees C (195 F) (Usually this chemistry operates at much higher temperatures.)

The company says its battery would be the size of a refrigerator and store enough power for a whole home. The breakthrough is in the cost: only about $2000. At that cost electricity could be stored for less than 3 cents per kilowatt hour, spread out over the 10 year life span of the battery. The low cost stored power, combined with the dropping cost of solar and wind small energy, could soon equal electric costs less than from the utility companies. Homeowners could disconnect themselves from the antiquated power grid: That would be disruptive.

Whether or not the above two companies apply for this round of funding is only their business. Certainly there are many disruptive, or wannabe disruptive technologies, floating around out there eagerly seeking government funding.

In general, though, the hitch in government funding is government involvement. The government doesn’t just pop checks in the mail with a note of Good Luck. It stays involved. Will companies or individuals be willing to share their ideas with Washington?

Links:

Ceramatec
http://www.ceramatec.com

Energetics Technologies
http://www.energeticstechnologies.com

U.S. Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E) funding notice.
http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=47045