INL included in new round of DOE project awards
WASHINGTON (KIFI)-The U.S. Department of Energy has announced awards totaling $110 million in 24 states for 102 projects. The projects are being developed by diverse, small businesses working on scientific, clean energy, and climate solutions in various areas.
“For any small business owner, every new bit of money is a game-changer that frees them up to pursue bold new ideas in earnest,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “This funding will give awardees a much-needed boost as they channel their entrepreneurial spirit into tackling the climate crisis, deploying creative clean energy technologies, and answering the biggest questions we have about the universe—all while creating new American jobs to sustain their communities.”
The projects include next-generation efficient nuclear reactors. In a collaborative project between HiFunda LLC in Salt Lake City, Idaho National Lab, and the University of Utah, this team will design, develop, and demonstrate an enabling technology for next-generation, salt-cooled nuclear reactors with power generation efficiencies of about 60% compared to 30% for conventional water-cooled nuclear reactors.
Other projects will include safer and more sustainable batteries, innovations in nuclear physics to lower energy costs, advanced research for studying plant roots, and methane detection technology.
