U.S. Senator Gardner Applauds $1M Energy Research Grants for National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Announcement comes as Gardner advances funding increase for ARPA-E program
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cory Gardner (R-CO), a member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, applauded the announcement that the U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) will award more than $1 million to fund two projects at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado.
“The cutting-edge research at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado is instrumental in advancing our nation’s renewable energy technology,” said Senator Gardner. “As we develop new renewable energy methods, it’s critical that we invest in and develop new energy storage technology as well. I applaud the announcement that NREL will receive funding for two energy projects, and I will continue to support their efforts at the federal level.”
According to the Department of Energy, the grants will fund two projects at NREL: developing a machine learning-enhanced approach to the design of new battery materials, and developing a novel wind turbine design that enables designers to explore advanced technology concepts at a lower cost. More information on the projects can be found here.
The projects are being funded through ARPA-E’s newest program, Design Intelligence Fostering Formidable Energy Reduction and Enabling Novel Totally Impactful Advanced Technology Enhancements (DIFFERENTIATE). The program aims to develop streamlined solutions to next-generation energy challenges.
ARPA-E advances high-potential, high-impact energy technologies that are too high-risk for private sector investment. ARPA-E awardees are unique because they are developing entirely new ways for Americans to get, store, and use energy.
Yesterday, Senator Gardner’s committee advanced reauthorization and a funding increase for the ARPA-E program. There are currently nearly 50 ongoing projects at NREL, Colorado School of Mines, and other research entities in Colorado benefiting from ARPA-E funding.