Argonne Projects Acquire Funding in the Quest for Zero-Carbon Emissions

The US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory has received funding from the DOE’s Office of Technology Transitions for four new initiatives to advance the commercialization of breakthrough clean-energy technology for a sustainable future.

Argonne scientists will seek to translate their unique ideas into the next-generation technologies required to construct cleaner, more resilient energy systems. These programs expand on Argonne’s decades-long leadership in the effort to decarbonize the United States economy.

Argonne's groundbreaking projects will include integrating next-generation power electronics into the grid and solar power systems, designing and licensing molten salt nuclear reactors, decarbonizing and cost-reducing organic waste treatment, and developing innovative water desalination technologies.

These initiatives, in conjunction with industry partners, will promote novel technologies that will help in the transition to a sustainable energy economy.

The following Argonne researchers have received 2024 funding for their projects:

• Moinuddin Ahmed: An In-Situ Grid Dynamic Driven Failure Prediction Methodology for Integrating Next-generation Power Electronics into Grid and Solar Power Systems (in collaboration with Kyma Technologies)
• Yuepeng Zhang: rGO-Enhanced Nanocomposite Electromembrane Technology for Energy Efficient Water Desalination (in partnership with GOLeafe)
• YuPo Lin: Decarbonizing and Improving the Profitability of Organic Waste Treatment through an Innovative Process and Value Chain (in partnership with Corumat, Inc.
• Thanh Hua: Advanced System Analysis Code Assessment and Enhancement to Support the Integral Molten Salt Reactor Design and Licensing (in partnership with Terrestrial Energy USA)

The grants are part of $41.4 million in support for 50 clean energy projects from the DOE's Technology Commercialization Fund Base Annual Appropriations Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Market Readiness award. Argonne scientists will contribute to the nationwide objective of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and lowering energy costs.

The 50 projects spread across 17 national laboratories will solve commercialization challenges, speed up the development of promising technologies, and streamline procedures to deliver clean-energy solutions to the market effectively. The 2024 grants are the largest amount of funding to date, representing coordinated investments from the largest DOE program offices.