10 Companies to Watch for out of ARPA-E - lithium air battery
Early-stage, high-
Risk of government
Support and potentially change the game
This is something I have talked to all the companies today in common.
My first day at the Energy Department's ARPA annual summit --
Startups, investors and students come together to discuss the future of clean energy and listen well --
Prominent lawmakers and green celebrities give speeches and often meet with potential investors.
From battery to grid storage, from biofuels to solar and wind energy technology, ARPA-
The E project is a parody of the famous DARPA project, which led to the Internet and has invested about $0. 4 billion in 121 projects.
While Obama has called for another $0. 55 billion for APRA
E. In his budget for fiscal 2012, who knows whether the project will receive the funds after the budget impasse exists (it is expected to hear ARPA's massive lamenting of the budget dilemma --
E. speak on Tuesday.
Another interesting thing to note is that a lot of ARPA-
Winners choose to stay invisible.
Many companies that have won awards are not here and refuse to provide me with more information about their projects.
So whether it's the company making noise or keeping a low profile, here are 10 green tech projects that sound very innovative to me.
(Note, I'm a little excited about the battery company because the United States has so far lacked innovation in this areaS. ): 1.
Compression in general. The five-year-
The compressed air energy storage technology produced by the old company is very efficient.
Compressed air technology includes taking excess energy from power plants or renewable sources and using it to run air compressors, where air compressors pump air into underground caves where low pressure is stored.
When the air is released, it powers the turbine and creates electricity.
General Compression said that the company's technology does not need to use natural gas, but also can use 70-Round 75%-Travel efficiency.
Because these devices can respond in less than 30 seconds and can cycle quickly between compression and expansion, they can be used to back up wind power, which is the company's main focus.
GM has raised $17 million in round a financing and $9.
9 million as early as 2007.
Investors include the U. S. Renewable Energy Group and Duke Energy, which has a lot of wind power to support. 2. PolyPlus. Decade-
Old battery company PolyPlus is poster child for high risk, potential gameschanging ARPA-E target.
The company is using ARPA-
E. authorized manufacture of rechargeable lithium-
The company says the energy density of air battery technology can reach 800 wh/kg.
The secret sauce is to encapsulate lithium so that it becomes a stable system.
It will take several years to commercialize the technology (and it has taken several years ).
At the same time, the company has some early technology that will be first brought to market.
More details about the company will be presented in another article. 3. Transphorm.
Last week, Transphorm launched an energy product at Google's venture capital headquarters --
Efficient Power Conversion Module for power supply
From servers to electric car batteries to solar panels, and the enviable $38 million venture capital from Kleiner Perkins, Google leventures, Foundation Capital and Lux capital.
Founded in 2007, Transphorm uses a semiconductor material that is gan opposite Silicon (the same material as LED lighting ). 4. 24M.
24 m representing a material concentration of 24 moles is separated from lithium
Mid-range ion battery company a123 System
2010 and plan to be in advanced non-
Traditional, lithium.
Ion-based storage technology.
24 m raised $10 million in Series A funding from Charles River venture capital and Northbridge Venture Partners and received A $6 million grant from ARPAE.
The company plans to develop a vehicle and grid storage system that combines all aspects of lithium
Ion battery and flowbatterytechnology.
The work of 24 m is-
Professor AtMIT and founder of A123 System Jiang Ming told MIT technical review that he used "semi-solid" energy storage materials compared to the traditional use of solid materials.
A123 said he hopes to see a slow 24 m.
Cost energy storage technology for "Ten years later" deployment. ” 5. Pellion.
They did not attend ARPA-
Tell me they're still invisible.
But the company did get an investment from Vinod Khosla, whose website described Pellion's goal as one day launching the world's first commercial magnesium battery, this can be developed with better performance and cost than current lithiumion batteries.
According to ARPA
"Material Design will be calculated using high throughput, coupled with accelerated material synthesis and electrolytic optimization to determine the new highenergy-
Density magnesium cathode material and Compatible electrolyte chemistry. ” 6. Quantum Scape.
Quantum landscape is a startup that authorizes Stanford University technology from what is called full-scale
Electronic battery. The ARPA-
E site describes it as "a brand new electric vehicle power storage device with the ability to provide ultra-
High energy and power density while achieving extremely high cycle life.
The quantum landscape is still in invisible mode. 7. Recapping. Another Khosla-
A supported company that wants to remain invisible is being reorganized.
According to ARPA
E, Recapping is working with Penn State to build a high energy density capacitor.
According to the document, khoapping raised $500,000 from Khosla Ventures in 2008.
Capacitors are energy storage devices that can charge and discharge at high speed. 8. Cree.
Okay, it's not a startup, but LED chip company Cree is using ARPA-
Building smart grid technology. Yep.
Corey is working on an efficient transformer
Fewer smart substations can provide consistent electrical energy from clean power and use their chips and power switches. 9. Foro Energy.
The company is developing a heat
Chemical drilling processes using laser and fiber optic cables can be sold to rigs in geothermal power plants.
Traditional geothermal drilling techniques take time and wear out soon.
The company is supported by venture Capital, Northbridge Venture Capital Partners and CMEA Capital. 10. Phononic.
Last week, Phononic Devices received $10 million worth of Series B thermoelectric equipment from venture capital investors Venrock and Oak Investment Partners --
Turn heat into a semiconductor of electricity and vice versa.
Positive study of elastic waves
Efficiency System for thermoelectric cooling
Heat removal by electricity-
Turn waste heat into thermoelectric power generation with useful power.