WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced over $24 million in funding for 77 projects supported by the Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF). With matching funds from the private sector, these projects will advance the commercialization of promising energy technologies and strengthen partnerships between DOE’s National Laboratories and private sector companies to deploy these technologies to the marketplace.
‘Technology transfer is an essential component of our mission at DOE, helping ensure we deliver the maximum return on the investment of the American taxpayer, said U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry. ‘Through the Technology Commercialization Fund, we are connecting entrepreneurs in the private sector with researchers at our National Labs to help deliver the innovations and technologies that will keep our nation secure, competitive, and energy abundant.’
‘Working alongside the private sector through initiatives like the Technology Commercialization Fund ensures our innovators in the National Labs are plugged into the engine of our economy, American business,’ said Chief Commercialization Officer and OTT Director Conner Prochaska. ‘The TCF creates an effective pathway to putting these lab-derived technologies to work and helps to maximize the impact of our research investment for the benefit of the entire nation.’
Secretary Perry has championed the Department’s commercialization and technology transfer activities by further empowering OTT to execute its mission across the entirety of the DOE research enterprise. To lead this effort, the Secretary named Conner Prochaska DOE’s first Chief Commercialization Officer, who also serves as OTT Director.
The TCF was created by the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to promote promising energy technologies. The TCF selections announced today will expand DOE’s efforts to catalyze the commercial impact of the Department’s portfolio of research, development, demonstration, and deployment activities.
OTT was established in 2015 to advance the economic, energy, and national security interests of the United States by expanding the commercial impact of the Department of Energy’s research and development portfolio.
DOE received over 160 applications for 2019 TCF funding, with project teams engaging more than 90 different partners across multiple diverse disciplines. Teams must receive a 50 percent match of non-federal funds from private partners to receive a TCF award.
Selected Labs and Partners
Ames Laboratory
- Concentric Ring Gas Atomization Die Design for Optimized Particle Production, $150,000
- Praxair, Indianapolis, Ind.
Argonne National Laboratory
- Advanced ignition system for enhanced ignition stability and combustion efficiency, $750,000
- 8 Rivers Capital LLC , Durham, N.C.
- Combustion Research & Flow Technology Inc., Pipersville, Pa.
- Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.
- Aluminum Purification and Magnesium Recovery from Mg-Al Scrap, $150,000
- Development of RF cured nanocomposite adhesives for thermal-budget reduction in adhesive bonding processes, $150,000
- Mitsubishi Chemical America Inc., New York, N.Y.
- Extension of Core Restrain Design Code NUBOW-3D to Lead Cooled Fast Reactor Systems, $75,000
- Westinghouse Electric Company, Cranberry Township, Pa.
- High-fidelity ignition models to boost engine thermal efficiency, $720,000
- Convergent Science Inc., Madison, Wis.
- Industry-Informed Physics-Based Monitoring for Asset Management and Maintenance Optimization, $500,000
- Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, Calif.
- LPI Inc., Amesbury, Mass.
- Integrated Power Block Heat Exchanger/Thermal Energy Storage System for CSP Plants, $348,000
- CFOAM LLC, Triadelphia, W. Va.
- Touchstone Research Laboratory, Triadelphia, W. Va.
- Low Cost Roll-to-Roll Manufacturing of Reusable Sorbents for Energy and Water Industries, $150,000
- Qualification of SAS4A/SASSYS-1 for Sodium-Cooled Fast Reactor Authorization and Licensing, $674,484
- Advanced Reactor Concepts LLC, Chevy Chase, Md.
- TerraPower LLC, Bellevue, Wash.
- Remote Area Modular Monitoring for Critical Facilities, $300,000
- Embedded Planet, Cleveland, Ohio
- Simulation Tool for Energy-Efficient Connected and Automated Vehicle Control Development, $600,000
- Hyundai America Technical Center, Superior Township, Mich.
- Ultra-Fast and – Thick Boriding of Geothermal Casing to Enhance Reliability, $150,000
- Controlled Thermal Resources Inc., El Centro, Calif.
Idaho National Laboratory
- Advanced Flow Meter for Extreme Environments (AFMEE), $100,000
- MicroNuclear LLC, Franklin, Tenn.
- Advanced Inorganic Fluors in the Scintillation Hydro-Gel for Isotopic Neutron Emitters (SHINE) Neutron Detection Material for Nuclear Reactor Monitoring Systems, $37,500
- Advanced Manufacturing of Electrochemical Sensors for Molten Salt Applications, $75,000
- INFlex Labs LLC, Boise, Idaho
- Application of advanced preprocessing technologies for biopower and biobased products, $300,000
- Lignetics Inc., Louisville, Colo.
- Computer Programs for Analysis of Thermally Reactive Tracer Tests in Geothermal Reservoirs, $150,000
- Geothermal Scientific Inc., Tustin, Calif.
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Denver, Colo.
- Ormat Inc., Reno, Nev.
- Fabrication of Near-net-shape Metallic Components from Oxides, $75,000
- Full-set Transformer Protection Barrier Manufacturing and Technology Commercialization Demonstration, $125,000
- High Temperature Next Generation Compact Heat Exchanger Development Using Additive Manufacturing Techniques with Embedded Sensor Capability, $150,000
- NuScale Power, Corvallis, Ore.
- Highly Dynamic Electronic Work Instructions for Advanced Reactors, $750,000
- GSE Systems, Sykesville, Md.
- Neutron Spectrum Generator, $75,000
- Rapid Field Chemical Detection and Determination of Actinides, $42,500
- Switchable Solvent Water Extraction for Material Processing and Isolation, $150,000
- Trevi Systems Inc., Petaluma, Calif.
- Idaho National Laboratory Wireless Project, $150,000
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
- High Throughput Cell-Free Microreactor Platform for Optimization of Biochemical Pathways, $535,000
- Localization of hot spots in solids using acoustic waves, $150,000
- Commonwealth Fusion Systems, Cambridge, Mass.
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
- Cold Spray Manufacturing of High-Performance Magnets and Energy-Harvesting Materials, $300,000
- TTEC LLC, Berryville, Va.
- Commercializing 3D Printable Feedstocks for the Advanced Manufacturing of Energy Products, $300,000
- MilliporeSigma, St. Louis , Mo.
- Hydroscanner: Instrumentation for water ingress imaging in photovoltaic module packaging materials, $250,000
- D2Solar Inc., San Jose, Calif.
- Quanex Building Products Corporation, Houston, Texas
- SCP SYS LLC, San Francisco, Calif.
- Sunrun, San Francisco, Calif.
- Vitriflex Inc., San Jose, Calif.
- Instrumentation to Provide Realistic Training Exercises for Radiation Protection at Nuclear Facilities, $750,000
- Argon Electronics (UK) LTD, Luton, UK
- LLNL Composite Sorbents: Enabling Economical Biomethane Production, $500,000
- SoCalGas, Los Angeles, Calif.
- WWTP, Antioch, Calif.
- Xebec, Québec, Canada
- Reservoir Evaluation Tools Using Seismic Interferometry and Fiber Optic Sensors, $150,000
Los Alamos National Laboratory
- FracMan / dfnWorks: Translating Geological Fracture Characterizations for Massively Parallel Subsurface Flow and Transport Simulations, $750,000
- Golder Associates Inc., Redmond, Wash.
- Hydrogen Contaminant Detector, $150,000
- Skyre, Inc., East Hartford, Conn.
- Near-Net-Shape Hot Pressing Technologies, $750,000
National Energy Technology Laboratory
- Novel chemical looping process for conversion of natural gas to pure hydrogen, $150,000
- CanmetENERGY, Ottawa, Canada
- Glowink Inc., Montgomery Center, Vt.
- Novel thermal process for conversion of CO2 to CO using metal ferrite oxygen carriers, $150,000
- CanmetENERGY, Ottawa, Canada
- Glowink Inc., Montgomery Center, Vt.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- ‘DUSST’: NREL’s Low Maintenance Soiling Station, $50,000
- Atonometrics Inc., Austin, Texas
- First Solar Inc., Tempe, Ariz.
- Groundwork Renewables Inc., Sand City, Calif.
- Atomic Layer Deposition Scale Up of Extended Thin Film Electrocatalyst Structures, $100,000
- ALD NanoSolutions, Broomfield, Colo.
- Catalyst Leaching Resistance for the Oxidative Production of Biobased Chemicals, $335,000
- Forge Nano, Louisville, Colo.
- Johnson Matthey, Billingham, UK
- Enabling Autonomous Wind Plants through Consensus Control, $250,000
- RES Group, Broomfield, Colo.
- Enabling interoperability for PV inverter controllers, $149,995
- Triangle Microworks Inc., Raleigh, N.C.
- Flexible perovskite-perovskite PV for mobile power applications, $745,500
- Swift Solar, Redwood City, Calif.
- Fusion Joining of Thermoplastic Composites Using Energy Efficient Processes, $150,000
- GE Global Research, U.S., Niskayuna, N.Y.
- High-Temperature Sensing Electronics for Downhole Smart Drilling, $150,000
- NOV Wellbore Technologies, Houston, Texas
- Wolfspeed, a Cree Company, Durham, N.C.
- Performance advantaged acrylonitrile, $300,000
- Zoltek (Toray Group), Bridgeton, Mo.
- Significant Cost Reduction Potential for Wave Energy Conversion Devices with Variable Geometry Modules, $102,089
- Solar Automated Permit Software for Distributed PV and Battery Storage, $695,000
- California Solar + Storage Association (CALSSA), Sacramento, Calif.
- Institute for Building Technology and Safety (IBTS), San Jose, Calif.
- Solar Energy Industries Association, Washington, D.C.
- SunPower, San Jose, Calif.
- Sunrun, San Francisco, Calif.
- Tesla, Palo Alto, Calif.
- The Solar Foundation, Washington, D.C.
- Vivint Solar, Lehi, Utah
- Wind Turbine Drivetrain Reliability Assessment and Remaining Useful Life Prediction, $100,000
- EDF, San Diego, Calif.
- Nordex USA Inc., Chicago, Ill.
- WindESCo, Boston, Mass.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Autonomous Benthic Macroinvertebrate and Larval Fish Imaging and Identification System, $150,000
- OceanSpace LLC, St. Petersburg, Fla.
- Enabling Cobalt-Free Battery Solution for Behind The Mater Storage, $750,000
- SPARKS, Castro Valley, Calif.
- Enhanced Steam Condenser for Power Generation Applications, $150,000
- IsoTherm Inc., Arlington, Texas
- Environmental Insights Explorer for Buildings, $750,000
- Google, Mountian View, Calif.
- Fabrication and Testing of Solid-solution Strengthened Corrosion Resistant Alloys For Service in Molten Fluoride Environments, $625,000
- Haynes International, Kokomo, Ind.
- Kairos Power, Oakland, Calif.
- MetalTek International, Watertown, Wis.
- High-temperature/high-pressure heat exchanger for natural gas-based modular power generation, $150,000
- Atrex Energy, Walpole, Mass.
- IsoTherm Inc., Arlington, Texas
- Ionic liquids as novel lubricant additives for HVAC compressors for enhanced efficiency and durability, $150,000
- Ingersoll Rand, Bloomington, Minn.
- Li-ion batteries with Safer Current Collectors, $750,000
- Soteria Battery Innovation Group, Greenville, S.C.
- Multifunctional Intensified Reactor Device with Integrated Heat and Mass Transfer for Effective CO2 Capture, $150,000
- AristoSys LLC, Canonsburg, Pa.
- Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Ga.
- Volunteer Aerospace, Knoxville, Tenn.
- Scaling-up and Commercialization of Renewable Supertough Polylactic Acid formulation for Durable Large-Scale Additive Manufacturing Applications, $750,000
- Natureworks, Minnetonka, Minn.
- Self-Sensing Fiber Reinforced Composites, $150,000
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
- A miniaturized long-life low-frequency acoustic transmitter for fish tracking in marine environment, $150,000
- Advanced Telemetry Systems, Isanti, Minn.
- Accelerated Data Analytics for Power-system Time-series (ADAPT), $600,000
- Bonneville Power Administration, Portland, Ore.
- Dominion Energy, Richmond, Va.
- PingThings, El Segundo, Calif.
- Advanced Membranes for Redox Flow Batteries, $300,000
- The Chemours Company, Wilmington, Del.
- UniEnergy Technologies LLC, Mukilteo, Wash.
- Autonomous acoustic receiver system for 3D tracking and monitoring real-time fish survival, $150,000
- Advanced Telemetry Systems, Isanti, Minn.
- Deception Defense Platform for Cyber-Physical Systems, $150,000
- Attivo Networks, Fremont, Calif.
- Deploying Intra-hour Uncertainty Analysis Tools to ABB’s GridView, $500,000
- ABB Power Consulting, Raleigh, N.C.
- Development of low-cost magnetocaloric materials, $150,000
- General Engineering and Research, L.L.C., San Diego, Calif.
- Extending Magnetic Core Shell Nanoparticle Extraction Technology to Cesium and Antimony Removal from Geothermal Brines in New Zealand, $150,000
- GEO40 Limited, Taupo, New Zealand
- Integrated Capture and Conversion of CO2 to Methanol (ICCCM) Process Technology, $300,000
- Southern California Gas Company, San Diego, Calif.
- Optimization and Peak Demand Limiting in large multi-family apartments building, $750,000
- NextWatts, Spokane, Wash.
- Surface Acoustic Wave Sensor for Refrigerant Leak Detection, $375,000
- Parker and Hannifin, Washington, Mo.
Sandia National Laboratories
- Advancing Particle Receiver Design for Commercialization of Solar Thermochemical Fuels and Ammonia Production, $150,000
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Köln-Porz, Germany
- Commercial Transfer of Sandia HTHP Downhole Electrochemical System, $250,000
- Thermochem Inc., Santa Rosa, Calif.
- Development and Full Load Demonstration of a 1000°C Solid Particle Receiver for Concentrating Solar Power Applications, $750,000
- German Aerospace Center (DLR), Stuttgart, Germany
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
- Improved tools for consumer load profiling to build resilience into the electric grid, $150,000
- Holy Cross Energy, Glenwood Springs, Colo.