Initial Application Step: Interested applicants must first submit a concept paper before April 2, 2010 at 5:00 P.M. (EST). The concept paper is limited to six pages, including an abstract (150 word limit), technical section (five page limit, when combined with abstract), cost summary (one page limit), and end-of-project-targets table (one page template). Please note: Important information re registration and other pre-submission requirements (including ARPA-E eXCHANGE submission mechanics) is included in the funding opportunity announcement (FOA). Please refer to the FOA for details.

Notice of Encouragement/Discouragement to Submit
Full Application: Anticipated mid-April 2010

Full Application Submission Deadline: Anticipated
mid-May 2010

Award Announcements: Anticipated July 2010

Award Size: Anticipated award size is from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000. The minimum amount for each award is $500,000 and the maximum amount is $10,000,000. ARPA-E anticipates making between five and fifteen awards totaling $35,000,000 under this FOA.

Award Instrument: Cooperative agreement or technology investment assignment (TIA)

Program Description

The purpose of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy (ARPA-E) is to create transformational new energy technologies and systems through funding and managing research and development (R&D) efforts. ARPA-E’s mission is to overcome the long-term and high-risk technological barriers in the development of energy technologies that (1) enhance the economic and energy security of the United States through the development of energy technologies that result in reductions of imports of energy from foreign sources, reductions of energy-related emissions, including greenhouse gases, and improvement in the energy efficiency of all economic sectors, and (2) ensure that the United States maintains a technological lead in developing and deploying advanced energy technologies. It is expected that energy technologies funded by ARPA-E will help catalyze breakthroughs for national priorities which harness science and technology to address the “grand challenges” of the 21st century and unleash a clean energy revolution.

The focus of this FOA is to invest in materials for fundamental advances in soft magnetics, high voltage switches, and reliable, high-density charge storage. ARPA-E states that these investments will be coupled to advanced circuit architectures, and scalable manufacturing processes with the potential to leapfrog existing power converter performance while offering reductions in cost. Specifically, three categories of performance and integration level will be considered:

Category 1: Fully-integrated, chip-scale power converters for applications including, but not limited to, compact, efficient drivers for solid-state lighting, distributed micro-inverters for photovoltaics, and single-chip power supplies for computers;
Category 2: Kilowatt scale package integrated power converters by enabling applications such as low-cost, efficient inverters for grid-tied photovoltaics and variable speed motors; and
Category 3: Lightweight, solid-state, medium voltage energy conversion for high power applications such as solid-state electrical substations and wind turbine generators.

Deploying advanced power electronics could provide as much as a 25-30% reduction in electricity consumption—or 12% of total U.S. energy consumption. Innovations in power electronics could lead to significant reduction in costs, which would promote U.S. businesses through technological leadership.

Areas of Interest

Areas of interest for this FOA include, but are not limited to, the following:

Magnetic materials with high operating flux densities exceeding 0.5T at frequencies greater than 1 MHz for a power loss of 300 kW/m3 (i.e., 15 times greater than MnZn ferrites) while achieving electrical resistivity exceeding 1mOhm-cm (i.e., 5-10 times greater than MnZn ferrites) and exhibiting high thermal conductivity. The magnetics should exhibit stable performance to temperatures exceeding 125 oC. Examples include but are not limited to: (1) air core magnetics with low winding loss and low electromagnetic interference; (2) the design and manufacturing processes for thin film magnetic components with the above magnetic properties that can be integrated on to electronic switching devices; (3) bulk materials (e.g., ceramic nanocomposites) with the above properties for package integrated converters; and (4) quantitative modeling of advanced soft magnetic materials.
Advanced solid-state switch technologies to support miniaturization of power converters in all System Categories. Specifically, components that achieve higher switching frequencies and higher breakdown voltages with low switch losses (i.e., low on resistance). Technologies to be considered include advanced Silicon switches as well as wide-bandgap devices (e.g., SiC, GaN, GaN on Si, diamond, ZnO). Examples include but are not limited to: (1) fully integrated power switches with 10 times higher operating voltages and switching frequencies than conventional silicon; and (2) switches (e.g., thyristors, IGBTs) with operating voltages exceeding 13kV; first in class demonstration of bipolar switches in wide-bandgap semiconductor technology; and optically controlled medium to high voltage switches.
Advanced circuit topologies and converter architectures that support higher reliability, lower costs, and/or miniaturization. Topologies that mitigate/manage the limitations of passive components. Examples include but are not limited to: (1) transformer-less medium (i.e., 600V-15kV) voltage converters; (2) high efficiency line-voltage converters without electrolytic capacitors; (3) integrated, high-efficiency switched capacitor converters; and (4) advanced arc-fault detection and self-diagnostics.
Advanced charge storage devices with power densities approaching electrolytic capacitors. High energy density supporting 10ms pulse times. Examples include but are not limited to: (1) high speed and higher voltage ultracapacitors; and (2) improved energy density thin film capacitors.

Mandatory Program Requirements

ARPA-E states that it welcomes submissions from any type of capable technology research and development entity. This includes, but is not limited to, for-profit entities, academic institutions, research foundations, not-for-profit entities, collaborations, and consortia. A Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) may submit a proposal as a project lead entity; only if the FFRDC is the lead for a consortium, collaboration, or other teaming arrangement. The FFRDC may not submit a proposal as a stand along entity. A minimum of 90% of the work, as defined by total project costs, must be performed on U.S. soil, which includes the United States proper and its territories.

Cost Sharing

If an applicant is exclusively an educational institution or consortia of educational institutions, a cost share of at least 10% of the total allowable costs will be required. Cost share of at least 20% is required of all other applicants. For awards where ARPA-E determines that use of a TIA is appropriate (i.e., when a standard cooperative agreement is not feasible or appropriate), a minimum 50% cost share of the total project cost is required.