Advanced manufacturing projects in 25 states share $140 million from DOE

The Advanced Manufacturing Program within the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy awarded nearly $140 million to companies and universities in 25 states and the District of Columbia to support 55 advanced manufacturing research projects. Recipients are contributing an additional $47.8 million toward project costs. Projects received an average of $2.5 million, but range from $400,000 to $12 million. The accompanying map presents the distribution of awards across the country and brief details on each recipient.

Thematically the R&D addresses three broad topics: 

• Innovations for the Manufacture of Advanced Materials: $124.6 million for 36 projects focused on new, low-cost manufacturing processes to catalyze domestic battery manufacturing, phase-change storage materials for heating and cooling applications, and the development of innovative materials for harsh service conditions.
• Lower Thermal Budget Processes for Industrial Efficiency & Productivity: $28.7 million for eight projects to conduct novel research on industrial process heating and drying technologies to increase energy efficiency and product quality. These projects are related to process heating which accounts for 70 percent of all manufacturing process energy use.
• Connected, Flexible and Efficient Manufacturing Facilities and Energy Systems: $33.5 million for 11 projects that support more efficient industrial power conversion equipment, new opportunities for converting process energy to electrical energy while better integrating with the electrical grid, and projects that build upon recent advances in new, wide-bandgap semiconductors supported by DOE. A number of projects will also support advancements in combined heat and power, energy-efficient technologies for simultaneous onsite production of electricity and heat, as well as address technical challenges in district energy systems.

Private companies captured 21 of the projects and 48.9 percent of the federal funding and provided at least 60.8 percent of the cost-share. Universities won 28 awards, 41.2 percent of DOE’s funding and 31.6 percent of the total cost share.  Three federal labs received awards comprising 5.5 percent of the total DOE funds and contributed 4.0 percent of the cost share total. Two nonprofit research centers and a trade association won the final three awards, securing 4.7 percent of the funds and providing 3.6 percent of the cost share total.

More information on the program and awards is available here.