- The DoE has granted NREL funding to lead two Energy Earthshot Research Centers (EERCs)
- NREL has secured subawards in three university-led Science Foundations for Energy Earthshots initiatives
The U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) Office of Science has unveiled plans to invest 264 million in funding for 29 projects to develop clean energy solutions. The agenda behind this initiative is to achieve a net-zero-carbon economy by 2050.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is set to play a crucial role in 5 out of the 29 projects. The DOE has granted NREL funding to lead two Energy Earthshot Research Centers (EERCs), each receiving $19 million. These initiatives will bolster multi-institutional, multidisciplinary teams tackling applied research challenges using fundamental science principles.
Among the 11 awards issued by DOE, NREL’s two EERCs are dedicated to floating offshore wind modeling and degradation in electrothermal long-duration energy storage. Furthermore, NREL has secured subawards in three university-led Science Foundations for Energy Earthshots initiatives.
“We are delighted to be an important part of the new Energy Earthshots program in the Office of Science,” said Bill Tumas, NREL associate laboratory director for Materials, Chemical, and Computational Science and NREL’s Basic Energy Sciences point of contact. “Our significant engagement reflects our commitment and contributions to use-inspired basic research by addressing key science questions and technological challenges through fundamental science in areas where we also have substantial strength in applied research.”
“The Energy Earthshot awards are incredibly exciting for the laboratory,” said Johney Green, associate laboratory director for the Mechanical and Thermal Engineering Sciences Directorate at NREL, which will be leading the two NREL Energy Earthshot Research Centers. “These initiatives were chosen because they are tackling some of the most challenging barriers of deploying clean energy technologies at scale. Our success and participation reflects our researchers’ innovation, teamwork, and diverse perspectives, and I am excited to see where these projects lead.”
