The U.S. Department of Energy today announced $27 million in funding for 9 projects as part of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s (ARPA-E) Generating Electricity Managed by Intelligent Nuclear Assets (GEMINA) program. These projects will work to develop digital twin technology to reduce operations and maintenance (O&M) costs in the next generation of nuclear power plants by 10-times in order to make them more economical, flexible, and efficient.
“As the United States’ largest provider of clean, emissions-free energy, nuclear power is an essential component of our Nation’s electricity supply,” said Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes. “Investing in projects and R&D that will make our nuclear fleet more efficient and cost-effective is critical to ensuring this clean, reliable energy source continues to power our country for years to come.” “Advanced nuclear reactors have the potential to provide reliable and low-cost clean power to millions of American homes,” said ARPA-E Director Lane Genatowski. “These GEMINA teams are working to develop tools for the advanced reactors of tomorrow to improve operations and lower maintenance costs by designing more autonomous, and efficient processes.”
GEMINA teams will develop digital twins and associated technologies for advanced nuclear reactors to strategically design O&M frameworks for the next generation of nuclear power plants. These teams are designing tools to introduce greater flexibility in reactor systems, increase autonomy in operations, and speed up design iteration, with a goal of reducing costs at advanced reactor power plants.
The projects will work to lower O&M costs by using diverse technologies that are driving efficiencies across other industries, such as artificial intelligence (AI), advanced control systems, predictive maintenance, and model-based fault detection. The teams will develop digital twin technologies for robust O&M strategies that can facilitate, among other things, more flexible operations for integration into an electrical grid with a large fraction of intermittent generation resources.
Nuclear energy is considered by many to be critical to achieving emissions reduction goals. Improving the cost-competitiveness of nuclear power generation through reductions in O&M costs, particularly for the next generation of advanced reactors, is advantageous for maintaining and increasing this critical energy source. GEMINA is focused on novel digital technologies to achieve significant and sustainable reductions in O&M costs. These advances will lay the groundwork for a future where advanced reactors operate with a staffing plan and fixed O&M costs more competitive with those of other generation sources. A sampling of GEMINA projects can be found below; for the full list of projects click (here).
DOE also announced the launch of the Advanced Reactor Demonstration Program (ARDP) within the Office of Nuclear Energy (NE). ARDP is designed to help domestic private industry demonstrate advanced nuclear reactors in the United States. For the Fiscal Year 2020 budget, Congress appropriated $230 million to start a new demonstration program for advanced reactors. Through cost-shared partnerships with industry, ARDP will provide $160 million for initial funding to build two reactors that can be operational within the next 5 to 7 years.
“The next generation of nuclear energy is critical to our Nation’s energy security and environmental stewardship,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette. “As the recently released Nuclear Fuel Working Group’s Strategy to Restore American Nuclear Energy Leadership exemplifies, we must pursue technological innovation and advanced nuclear RD&D investments to strengthen American leadership in the next generation of nuclear technologies, ensuring a healthy and growing U.S. nuclear energy sector.” “Advanced nuclear energy systems hold enormous potential to lower emissions, create new jobs, and build a strong economy,” said Dr. Rita Baranwal, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Nuclear Energy. “This new program creates a tremendous opportunity for the U.S. to provide clean energy and expand our market opportunities.”
In addition to the two reactors, ARDP will leverage the National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) to efficiently test and assess ARD technologies by engaging the world-renowned capabilities of the national laboratory system to move these reactors from blueprints to reality. The primary implementing tool for ARDP is the ARD Funding Opportunity Announcement, issued today, which provides applicants three separate technology development and demonstration pathways.
More information on ARDP can be found (here).
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) also announced a $67 million funding opportunity to stimulate technology innovation, improve the energy productivity of American manufacturing, and enable the manufacturing of cutting-edge products in the United States. “As we move into the future, energy competitiveness is becoming increasingly critical to manufacturing competitiveness, and the WH is fully committed to securing U.S. leadership in manufacturing,” said Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes. “To create and sustain American leadership in advanced manufacturing, DOE is investing in new industrial technologies, materials, and processes that will help bolster American manufacturing.”
In its report, “Strategy for American Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing,” the White House identified advanced manufacturing as one of the vital industries of the future, stating, “Federal, State, and local governments must work together to support advanced manufacturing through collective actions that support research and development, develop the workforce, promote free and fair trade, and create a regulatory and tax system that unleashes the private sector.” Projects selected under this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) will aim to improve energy efficiency in energy-intensive processes and facilitate the transition to emerging, cost-competitive energy technologies in domestic production. EERE’s Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO) supports the development of technologies that improve energy efficiency in U.S. manufacturing as well as foundational, cross-cutting manufacturing processes, information, and materials technologies critical to efficient and competitive domestic manufacturing.
This FOA supports the WH priority to enhance manufacturing competitiveness through technological innovation by focusing on three main areas:
- Next-generation manufacturing processes that improve energy efficiency in energy-intensive and energy-dependent industries, including steel manufacturing;
- Modular (SMRs), hybrid, or catalytic processes to improve energy efficiency in chemical manufacturing; and
- Connected, flexible, and efficient manufacturing facilities, products, and energy systems, including the integration of direct air capture at industrial facilities.
DOE anticipates making up to 33 awards. Industry partners must provide at least 20% of the funding for new research and development projects. Concept papers are due June 25, 2020. View the Funding Opportunity Announcement, application, and submission requirements at EERE Exchange.
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