Revolutionizing Energy Transfer: ARPA-E Funds Mechanical Engineering Team for Innovative Power System
Key Ideas
- University of Wisconsin-Madison team secures $2.3 million ARPA-E grant for developing an electrochemical power transfer system.
- Project focuses on utilizing sulfur-based compounds for efficient energy transportation and extraction.
- The innovative electrolyzer aims to revolutionize power shipping with higher energy density and lower costs.
- Researchers aim to publish their work on discharging chemically stored energy into electricity.
The U.S. Department of Energy's ARPA-E has awarded a $2.3 million grant to a team of mechanical engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison led by Professor James Pikul. The project aims to address the challenge of transferring excess power across regions through electrochemical means. The team plans to develop an electrolyzer that converts electrical energy into chemical energy, using sulfur-based compounds for efficient transportation and extraction of energy. This innovative approach targets higher energy density, lower costs, ease of shipping, and domestic production. The project, part of ARPA-E's Vision OPEN 2024 program, is set to advance energy storage and power transfer technologies. With expertise in electrochemistry, the team aims to publish their findings on discharging the stored energy. The funding received is part of a competitive program that supports 49 projects, highlighting the significance of this research in the energy sector.