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DOE announces $15 million to electrify US aircraft, trains, and ships

March 14, 2024

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced a $15 million investment to advance next-generation, high-energy storage solutions to accelerate the electrification of the aviation, railroad, and maritime transportation sectors.

The funding is provided through the Pioneering Railroad, Oceanic and Plane ELectrification with 1K energy storage systems (PROPEL-1K) program. The projects will develop energy storage systems with “1K” technologies capable of achieving or exceeding 1000 Watt-hour per kilogram (Wh/kg) and 1000 Watt-hour per liter (Wh/L), representing a more than fourfold energy density improvement compared to current technologies. This initiative supports President Biden’s 2050 net-zero climate goals.

The 12 selected project teams, managed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), will work on high-energy storage solutions. These solutions are expected to catalyze broad electrification of aviation, railroad, and maritime sectors. The teams include Battery Aero, Aurora Flight Sciences, Georgia Tech Research Corporation, Giner, Illinois Institute of Technology, Johns Hopkins University, Precision Combustion, Propel Aero, University of Maryland, Washington State University, Washington University in St. Louis, and Wright Electric.

These selections represent the first phase of an expected two-phase program. Phase 1 is expected to be completed in 18 months following contract completion. If successful, PROPEL-1K technologies will electrify regional flights traveling as far as 1,000 miles with up to 100 people, all North American railroads, and all vessels operating exclusively in U.S. territorial waters.

ARPA-E Director Evelyn N. Wang said, “Reducing emissions in the transportation sector—which is the largest contributor to the country’s greenhouse gas emissions—is critical to achieving President Biden’s clean energy and climate goals. ARPA-E is pleased to announce the dozen teams that will pursue exciting new solutions for powering and electrifying heavy-duty transportation.”