U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Department of Energy Announces $118 Million for Energy Frontier Research Centers
Projects span fundamental scientific research for microelectronics, quantum information science, manufacturing, and environmental management

Ten Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) designed to bring together world-class teams of scientists for groundbreaking fundamental research have been funded in nine states by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). 

Since 2009, EFRCs  have brought together diverse, world-class teams of scientists to perform basic research that accelerates ground-breaking scientific advances underlying energy technologies.

The centers develop powerful new tools for characterizing, understanding, modeling, and manipulating matter, while training the next-generation scientific workforce by attracting talented students passionate about energy science.

"Fundamental research in the areas covered in these awards is critical for generating foundational knowledge that underpins technologies that are important for DOE and the nation," said Harriet Kung, Acting Director of the DOE Office of Science. "Strengthening our understanding of the chemistry and materials science behind advanced manufacturing of polymers, microelectronics, and quantum technologies will foster a cleaner and more energy-efficient future."  

The funding brings together multidisciplinary scientific teams to advance the basic science for advanced manufacturing, including polymers and co-design of materials and processes to revolutionize fabrication science for microelectronics and quantum information science, and environmental management of nuclear waste tanks. The funding supports three new and five continuing four-year awards and two two-year transition awards.

The projects, which can be up to four years in duration, are led by six universities and four national laboratories. Along with more than 65 additional partner institutions, they join 33 existing EFRCs that conduct fundamental scientific research that generates knowledge to enable future energy technologies and other national priorities such as microelectronics and quantum information science. 

The Office of Science is the lead federal agency supporting scientific research for energy and the largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences. Office of Science-supported researchers have made key scientific advances in a wide variety of energy-related areas including batteries, solar, bioenergy and much more. Projects are:    

• A Center for Power Electronics Materials and Manufacturing Exploration at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, CO.
• Quantum Photonic Integrated Design Center at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.
• Center For Plastics Innovation at the University of Delaware in Newark, DE.
• Ion Dynamics in Radioactive Environments and Materials at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, WA.
• Institute for Cooperative Upcycling of Plastics at Ames Laboratory in Ames, IA.
• Center for Energy Efficient Magnonics at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in Stanford, CA.
• Center for 3-Dimensional Ferroelectric Microelectronics Manufacturing at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, PA.
• Center for Molecular Quantum Transduction at Northwestern University in Chicago, IL.
• Energy Frontier Research Center for Quantum Sensing and Quantum Materials at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, IL.
• Ultra Materials for a Resilient, Smart Electricity Grid at Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ.

The projects were selected by competitive peer review under the DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement for Energy Frontier Research Centers. More information  can be found on the Energy Frontier Research Centers program homepage.

Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicants will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time.