Opportunities for Innovation in Energy Technology using Bioinspired - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Opportunities for Innovation in Energy Technology using Bioinspired Design East Coast Working Group

• Dr. Marc von Keitz, Program Director
• Dr. Victoria Chernow, Fellow

Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E)

Boston, MA December 5, 2019

Outline

• Role of ARPA-E as a catalyst for innovation in energy

and emissions-relevant technologies.

• Why is ARPA-E interested in Bioinspired Design?

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The ARPA-E Bio-focused Portfolio

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Conversion Technologies Feedstock Technologies REMOTE PETRO TERRA MARINER ELECTRO

• FUELS

ROOTS

CH4 Fuel

Source: Li et. al. Science. 335 (6076), 1596 (2012).

Biofuels

2010 2011 2013 2015 2016 2017

OPEN 2012 – Bioinspired Technology Example

• Slippery Liquid-Infused Porous Surfaces (SLIPS) → an adaption of the low-

friction surfaces used by the carnivorous pitcher plant to catch prey.

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Source: ARPA-E Impact Sheet

• SLIPS nanostructured coatings outperform technologies like Teflon in

friction, drag reduction, and repelling a broad range of contaminants.

• The material system has been used to improve energy efficiency in areas

including industrial cooling systems, biofouling, wastewater treatment, and pipeline coatings.

• Spun out as Adaptive Surface Technologies, Inc.

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Relevant Trends in Power and Carbon

• The price (direct or

indirect) of emitting CO2 will go up

• The price of and C-

intensity of electricity will decrease

• The world’s fifth-

largest economy, California, has committed to 100% carbon-free power by 2045

IRENA, Renewable Power Generation Costs in 2017

Utilizing “Trends” in the Energy Sector

• With a changing grid and increased access to “cheap” low carbon electrons from

renewable electricity sources, can we: – Use e- directly in biological or bioinspired systems? – Use e- to produce external reducing equivalents (H2, formic acid, etc.) for biological or bioinspired systems?

• 2/3 of consumed energy ends up as rejected/waste heat.

– Does biology offer an efficient option for using/upgrading low-grade heat?

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Some “Trends” around Decarbonization to Think About…

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1.Industries at Gt-scale today – oil, gas, coal, steel, concrete, agriculture 2.1 GtCO2/yr scale will need significant carbon-free/neutral energy and large capital investments

– In 2014, out of total 4100 TWh in electricity used in the US, 1340 TWh was carbon free energy (nuclear, wind, solar, hydro). To turn CO2 into fuels for US transportation demand, we will need 12,000 TWh of carbon-free electricity at very low cost.

3.If it does not work at a 0.1 GtCO2/yr scale, it is unlikely to work at 1 GtCO2/yr à There needs to be a

roadmap for scaling

– We need to consider: What is the role of RD&D? What controls learning rates of cost-scale? How much capital investment is needed at various stages? How do science, engineering, economics, finance, markets, regulatory compliance, supply chains, policy, consequences interplay?

4.Achieving 1 GtCO2/yr scale will require holistic RD&D – lets bridge fundamental science with

systems engineering and feedback loops between stages

5.1 GtCO2/yr scale will have intended and unintended consequences on our biosphere. Continuous

monitoring is necessary and an analysis of consequences should be part of RD&D

6.Large skilled workforce needed 7.A charge on CO2 may be required – a price or regulations or combination

Report from SEAB CO2 Task Force, 2016

Considerations for Scaling to 1 GtCO2/yr

Realizing Decarbonization through Bioinspired Design

• How can we decarbonize

industry and materials production outside of electrification? – Using the built environment as a carbon sink.

• Bioinspired innovations in

the agricultural sector?

• Targeting difficult-to-

eliminate emissions sectors.

9 Source: EPA Inventory on GHG Emissions (2019) “Net-zero emissions energy systems” Science [link]

Bio-molecular Capabilities that can be Utilized

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Source: Adesina et. al. Chem (2017) 2 (1) 20–51

Biological Capabilities that can be Utilized

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Source: Z. Liu et al. Progress in Materials Science 88 (2017) 467–498 Wegst et. al. Nature Materials 14 (2015) 23-36

• Z. Liu et al. Progress in Materials Science 88 (2017) 467–498

Yang et. al. Science Robotics 3(14) (2018) eaar7650

• Zooming out to the meso- to macro-scale, bio-molecular design engenders:

– Advanced gradients and spatial patterning – Dimensionality and hierarchy – Engineered stiffness and compliance – Advanced control systems (animal flight, swarm dynamics)

Looking at a System Holistically

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Molecules Materials Devices Systems

The Evolving Tools of Synthetic Biology

Design

• CAD tools for automated design of genes and proteins
• Pathway design
• Bioprospecting
• Metabolic engineering

Build

• DNA construction from oligonucleotides to genes to gene systems to cellular genomes
• Gene and genome editing, CRISPR/Cas9
• Library construction
• Booting of engineered constructs

Test

• High-throughput Screening
• Directed Evolution

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Adapted from: National Academies, Specific Synthetic Biology Concepts, Approaches, and Tool, Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology

Current Applications for Synthetic Biology

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Source: P. Nguyen. Biochemical Society Transactions (2017) 45 585–597

The Funding Landscape for Bioinspired Technology

• NSF
• NIH
• DOE (Office of Science, BETO)
• DARPA

– Living Foundries Program – Engineered Living Materials Program

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• ARPA-E

– How do we best deploy biology? – How do we quantitatively assess the advantages of bioinspired technologies v. other design processes? – How do we scale technologies (spatial, volumetric and temporal)? – Technology LCA and TEA – Efficiency (energy, carbon, throughput, etc.)

https://arpa-e.energy.gov

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Goals

• Develop and integrate organisms for autotrophic/non-photosynthetic biological

systems

• Increase liquid fuel energy density beyond ethanol

Highlights

• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

– Using glucose feedstock, increased lipid concentration to values demonstrating commercial potential in markets such as animal feed – Novogy acquired the use of MIT’s genetically engineered yeast biocatalysts for lipid production

• OPX Biotechnologies

– Demonstrated fatty acid production from engineered microbes fed H2 and CO2 – Raised $64M in venture funding

Mission Develop microorganisms to create liquid transportation fuels in a new and different way that could be up to 10 times more energy efficient than current biofuel production methods.

Year 2010 Projects 13 Funding Amount $48.7 million

ELECTROFUELS

Microorganisms for Liquid Transportation Fuel

Mission Develop non-food crops that directly produce transportation fuels to be cost-competitive with petroleum and not impactful on U.S. food supply.

Year 2011 Projects 10 Funding Amount $55.7 million

PETRO

Plants Engineered to Replace Oil

Goals

• Develop pine trees that will accumulate 20% of their biomass as high energy

terpene molecules

• Develop tobacco that produces oil directly, together with high planting density

agriculture

• Introduce multiple metabolic pathways into oilseed crops to significantly improve

photosynthesis

Highlights

• UCLA

– Engineering novel switchgrass lines with a new biochemical pathway that could enable up to 200% more CO2 using the same amount of light

• University of Florida

– Engineering pine trees as a source of fuel precursors for the domestic production of aviation and diesel biofuels, enabling large-scale production of replacements for petroleum-based fuels

Goals

▸ Develop innovative catalysts and lab scale reactors to

efficiently and cost-effectively convert natural gas

▸ Lower the cost of gas to liquids conversion ▸ Enable the use of low-cost, domestically sourced natural

gas for transportation, which could reduce vehicle emissions compared to conventional gasoline engines Highlights

▸ LanzaTech

– The team’s first commercial units are expected to be commissioned as part of their existing carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) fermentation processes used to recycle waste gases from industrial facilities

Mission Develop transformational biological technologies to convert gas to liquids for transportation fuels. The REMOTE projects new biological conversion technologies offer the potential for conversion processes to be feasible at small scales so that small, remote sources of methane can be utilized.

Year 2013 Projects 16 Funding Amount $7.8 million

REMOTE

BIOLOGICAL CONVERSION OF GAS TO LIQUIDS

TERRA

Transportation Energy Resources from Renewable Agriculture

Mission Facilitate development of improved varieties of sorghum as climate resilient bioenergy feedstocks by integrating state of the art field phenotyping technologies with crop genomics.

Year 2015 Projects 6 Funding Amount $39.5 million Goals

• Develop autonomous robotic sensor systems capable of high-throughput assessment of plant

growth and development in the field.

• Develop advanced ‘big data’ algorithms to construct 3-D models that predict crop performance

and response to environment.

• Create sophisticated bioinformatics tools and genomics resources for gene and trait discovery

that accelerate breeding of improved crops.

Highlights

• Purdue University

– Received $350,000 in follow-on funding – The project leads have launched CROPi Analytics, a startup company that provides robust data processing software for remote sensing applications in agriculture.

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

– Built two robots, TerraMepp and TerraSentia, and associated analytics software to collect and analyze phenotypic data

ROOTS

Rhizosphere Observations Optimizing Terrestrial Sequestration

Goals ▸ Carbon Assimilation (CO2 Emissions Mitigation – SOM Deposition) ▸ Nutrient Acquisition (N2O Emissions Reduction – Fertilizer Efficiency) ▸ Water Productivity (Resource Efficiency) Means ▸ Develop novel technologies that measure root and soil function ▸ Advance predictive models that accelerate the selection and

development of plants with more favorable root and soil traits.

Potential Impact ▸ CO2: Increase Soil Carbon Stocks (row crop acres)

.3 - 1.0 Gt CO2-eq / year

▸ N2O: 50% annual reduction from row crop

0.1 Gt CO2-eq / year

▸ Soil Quality: Chemical, Physical, Biological

Mission Develop new crop breeding approaches for improved root and soil function that will help plants to store more carbon in the ground and take up nutrients and water more efficiently.

Year 2016 Projects 10 Funding Amount $34.5 Million

MARINER

Macroalgae Research Inspiring Novel Energy Resources Goals & Opportunities

• MARINER project teams will seek to increase macroalgae yield and

expand into off-shore environments to increase the areas of deployment by two orders of magnitude above current global levels

• MARINER technologies could potentially enable a U.S.-based

macroalgae industry capable of producing up to two quads— approximately 2 percent of U.S. primary energy consumption—of bioenergy by 2050

Mission Develop innovative cultivation and harvest systems and additional supporting tools necessary to produce macroalgae biomass at a scale required for fuel production and at a cost competitive with land-based biofuel feedstock.

Year 2017 Projects 18 Funding Amount $22 Million

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What is ARPA-E?

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The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Energy that:

• Provides Research and Development funding for high-risk, high-reward,

transformational ideas

• Focuses on technologies that could fundamentally change the way we get, use

and store energy

• Accelerates energy innovations that will create a more secure, affordable, and

sustainable American energy future

History of ARPA-E

In 2007, The National Academies recommended Congress establish an Advanced Research Projects Agency within the U.S. Department of Energy to fund advanced energy R&D.

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2007 2009 2018

Rising Above the Gathering Storm Published - warning policymakers that U.S. advantages in science and technology had begun to erode America COMPETES Act Signed – authorizing the creation of ARPA-E American Recovery & Reinvestment Act Signed – Providing ARPA-E its first appropriations of $400 million, which funded ARPA-E's first projects

660+ Awards 47 Programs Current Funding: $353M (FY18)

ARPA-E Mission

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REDUCE IMPORTS IMPROVE EFFICIENCY REDUCE EMISSIONS

Ensure U.S. Technological Lead & U.S. Economic and Energy Security

Catalyze and support the development of transformational, high-impact energy and emissions technologies

Built on DARPA foundation, but with key differences…

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Creating New Learning Curves

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Tipping point Transformational & Disruptive Transformational

What Makes an ARPA-E Project?

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• Translates science into breakthrough technology
• Not researched or funded elsewhere
• Catalyzes new interest and investment
• High impact on ARPA-E mission areas
• Credible path to market
• Large commercial application
• Challenges what is possible
• Disrupts existing learning curves
• Leaps beyond today’s technologies
• Comprised of best-in-class people
• Cross-disciplinary skill sets
• Translation oriented

IMPACT TRANSFORM BRIDGE TEAM

Technology Acceleration Model

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Technology Acceleration Model

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT CYCLE

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ARPA-E Creates a “Mountain of Opportunity” for energy technology

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$10M $100M Research Prototype Demonstration Investment Time Concept $1M ARPA-E Other Investors

If it works…

will it matter?

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Tech To Market Approach

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SCOPE MANAGE ADVISE PARTNERSHIPS

Provide strategic market insights necessary to create innovative, commercially relevant programs Manage project teams’ T2M efforts through T2M plans and jointly developed milestones Support project teams with skills & knowledge to align technology with market needs Engage third-party investors and partners to support technology development towards the market

ARPA-E Program Portfolio

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EFFICIENCY

METALS ARID ADEPT REACT GENI GRIDS HEATS

ELECTRICITY GENERATION & DELIVERY

REBELS IMPACCT SOLAR ADEPT RANGE AMPED BEEST

ELECTROFUELS

MOVE REMOTE PETRO TERRA NEXTCAR REFUEL

TRANSPORTATION Active

SWITCHES MARINER

OPEN 2009, 2012, 2015 & 2018 Solicitations Complement Focused Programs

Alumni

GRID DATA INTEGRATE IONICS MOSAIC ALPHA GENSETS NODES FOCUS CHARGES MEITNER CIRCUITS SENSOR PNDIODES ENLITENED SHIELD ROOTS MONITOR DELTA BEETIT DAYS TRANSNET

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OPEN Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAS) support the

development of potentially disruptive new technologies across the full spectrum of energy applications OPEN 2009 41 projects $176 million investment 10 technical areas OPEN 2012 66 projects $130 million investment 11 technical areas OPEN 2015 41 projects $125 million investment 10 technical areas

ARPA-E Impact Indicators

As of February 2018

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ARPA-E Could be the Hallmark of Your Career

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CONTRIBUTE TO A BETTER ENERGY FUTURE JOIN OUR INNOVATIVE STARTUP CULTURE COLLABORATE WITH OTHER EXPERTS WORK IN DIVERSE TECH AREAS

Learn more and apply: www.arpa-e.energy.gov/jobs or arpa-e-jobs@hq.doe.gov.

Join the Team that is Transforming the Energy of Tomorrow

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ü Independent energy technology development ü Program Director support ü Organizational support PROGRAM DIRECTOR ü Program development ü Active project management ü Thought leadership ü Explore new technical areas FELLOW TECHNOLOGY-TO-MARKET ADVISOR ü Business development ü Technical marketing ü Techno-economic analyses ü Stakeholder outreach Learn more and apply: www.arpa-e.energy.gov/jobs or arpa-e-jobs@hq.doe.gov.

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PROGRAM DIRECTORS

DRIVE TECHNICAL INNOVATION

“The CEO of my company asked if he hadn’t given me a big enough sandbox to play in. I told him ARPA-E offered me a beach.” —Joe Cornelius, ARPA-E Program Director

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT THOUGHT LEADERSHIP HANDS ON MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY BUILDING

Program Development

• Dives into a topic, solicits input from stakeholders in R&D
• Presents and defends program concept in climate of constructive criticism

Thought Leadership

• Represents ARPA-E as a thought leader

in the program area Active Project Management

• Actively manages portfolio projects from merit reviews through project

completion

• Work with expert colleagues and data-driven decision-making to support

the full lifecycle of management Qualifications

• Has broad R&D experience, intellectual integrity and

flexibility, commitment to energy, communication skills, leadership and management

ARPA-E is hiring.

To apply or learn more, please contact an ARPA-E Program Director or email arpa-e-jobs@hq.doe.gov.

WHAT MAKES AN IDEAL PROGRAM DIRECTOR

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TECHNOLOGY-TO-MARKET ADVISORS

LEAD COMMERCIALIZATION

“Every day I get to help prepare teams to move their ground- breaking technical achievements out of the lab and towards real world impact in the energy sector.” —James Zahler, Technology-to-Market Advisor

STAKEHOLDER OUTREACH TECHNO-ECONOMIC ANALYSIS BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Qualifications

• Has 5+ years experience, advanced degree, strong technical

background, superior analytic and communication skills, demonstrated interest/ expertise in energy and energy technologies Business Development and Technical Marketing

• Advises project teams on market, strategy, business planning, IP, product

development, and supply chain

• Targets public and private follow-on funding sources

Techno-Economic Analysis

• Performs techno-economic analyses to inform new programs and

active projects Stakeholder Outreach

• Represents ARPA-E to a range of stakeholders
• Represents the Agency as a thought leader in the program area

WHAT MAKES AN IDEAL TECHNOLOGY TO MARKET ADVISOR?

ARPA-E is hiring.

To apply or learn more, please contact a T2M Advisor or email arpa-e-jobs@hq.doe.gov.

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FELLOWS ARE EARLY-CAREER INNOVATORS

“The only problem with this job is figuring out a next step that can possibly measure up to it.”

• Dr. Ashwin Salvi, Fellow

PROJECT SUPPORT PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Qualifications

• Has Ph.D. in science or engineering, strong analytical, research and

communication skills, drive to change the world through energy technology, U.S. citizenship. Program Director Support

• Helps develop future programs through technical analysis,

discussions, debate and workshops

• Supports programs through technical and economic analyses and
• n-site project visits

Independent Energy Technology Development

• Collaborates with experts in a variety of fields
• Publishes original research papers and reviews

Organizational Support

• Contributes to the strategic direction and vision
• f the agency
• Reviews proposals and funding opportunities

WHAT MAKES AN IDEAL FELLOW?

ARPA-E is hiring.

To apply or learn more, please contact an ARPA-E Program Director or email arpa-e-jobs@hq.doe.gov.

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Work on a Mission that Matters

Enhance Technological Lead in Advanced Energy Technologies Develop Clean, Efficient, Reliable Energy Systems Ensure U.S. Energy and Economic Security

Ensure U.S. Energy and Economic Security Develop Clean, Efficient, Reliable Energy Systems Enhance Technological Lead in Advanced Energy Technologies

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