Award Data

The challenges associated with CO2 capture, transport and storage have been well documented. Therefore, all possible options must be pursued for abatement of global CO2 emissions including CO2-based products. A new generation of CO2-capture technologies being developed with federally funded projects could show market-driven adoption if CO2 were used to manufacture competitively value-added product ...

In 2011, the US Department of Energy (DOE) launched the SunShot Initiative with the goal of making solar electricity cost-competitive with conventional power generation by 2020. Since 2011, research funded by the DOE has resulted in substantial progress toward meeting the aggressive SunShot performance and cost targets, but significant technical hurdles remain. In particular, the Gen3 CSP Roadmap ...

The DOE has identified a need for thin and durable proton conducting membranes that offer enhanced energy efficiency to power zero emission vehicles. Specifically, a cost effective hydrocarbon-based alternative to expensive commercial perfluorosulfonic acid ionomers are sought. Current hydrocarbon membranes do not meet the performance or durability needed in the conditions for transportation fuel ...

Plasma facing components (PFCs) in future fusion power plants will be subjected to a concentrated flux of plasma particles resulting in very high surface erosion and heat loads. The material most suitable to withstand these extreme loading conditions is tungsten (W) due to its excellent thermal stability and having the highest melting point of the metals. The drawback of tungsten is its brittlenes ...

Perovskite-sensitized solar cells have demonstrated high conversion efficiencies however the stability of device is limited compared to common PV technologies. Moisture, UV irradiation, and high temperature triggered degradation limit their commercial viability; therefore, improved cell durability is necessary for perovskite solar cell market entry. In addition, the scale-up and optimization of th ...

Advanced neutron imaging with superior temporal discrimination and spatial localization of radiation signatures is needed to counter nuclear threats and mission spaces encountered by the NNSA.Nextgeneration associated-particle imaging (API) with emphasis on high-speed, human portability and multimodal interrogation capability, including transmission radiography and induced emission (fission, elast ...

Reimagining a trusted technology (data diodes) into a low-cost plug and play appliance, to provide greater situational awareness and predictive analytics, while safeguarding the infrastructure.That is the Fend mission, and SBIR Phase I helped to demonstrate the need and feasibility for this solution.Solar energy operators need real-time situational awareness and the insight of advanced analytics t ...

For over a century, the structure of the electric utility business has been a supplier driven model with consumers receiving and paying for electricity without any participation in how the electricity is produced, transmitted, or consumed.However, advances in renewable energy technologies (e.g., PV panels), battery storage, smart devices, as well as financing models have given rise to prosumers - ...

Storage of hydrogen is challenging due to high storage pressures and potential for hydrogen embrittlement.Pressure vessels are currently retired from service under conservative guidelines due to the inability to identify damage until damage is imminent.There exists a need for a system that can resolve micrometer-scale features and relate these to the damage state of pressure vessels for accurate l ...

Today’s building energy modeling practice is highly fractured between different simulation engines, Computer Aided Design (CAD) interfaces, and computing resources.While preferences for these fractured components vary between professions and individuals, one principle is unanimously agreed upon: a strong, flexible, and programmable connection between these three categories of software is needed ...