The U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) announced up to $30 million in funding for two new programs that aim to solve some of the nation’s most pressing energy challenges by accelerating the development of novel energy technologies. NEXT-Generation Energy Technologies for Connected and Automated on-Road vehicles (NEXTCAR) seeks to develop new technologies that decrease energy consumption of future vehicles through the use of connectivity and automation.
“We must continue to invest in programs that encourage the scientific community to think boldly and differently about our nation’s energy future,” said ARPA-E Director Dr. Ellen D. Williams. “The NEXTCAR program’s focus on exploiting automation to improve energy efficiency in future vehicles."
Significant research and development is underway to make future vehicles more connected and automated in order to reduce road accidents and traffic fatalities, but these technologies can also be leveraged to improve energy efficiency in future vehicles. The NEXTCAR program is providing up to $30 million in funding to create new control technologies that reduce the energy consumption of future vehicles by using connectivity and vehicle automation. The program seeks transformative technological solutions that will enable at least a 20 percent reduction in the energy consumption of future Connected and Automated Vehicles (CAVs), compared to vehicles without these technologies.
For more information and to view the full funding opportunity announcement, please click here.
CPSE Labs: Funding opportunity for engineering and technology businesses and research institutions.
A new European initiative provides a unique opportunity for technology businesses to win funding for innovation activities. Organizations can apply for up to €150,000 to fund an industrial experiment, and successful applications will also receive technical support from one of Europe's top research centres.
To apply, engineering and technology businesses should describe an industrial experiment they would like to carry out and submit it before the 22nd June deadline. Proposals should be in "cyber-physical systems" (CPSs). These are systems that include computational elements as well as interaction with the physical world (e.g., through actuators and/or sensors). Many firms working in ICT, IoT, embedded systems or engineering will find they are eligible to apply for funding and support. Relevant application areas are wide-ranging and include: adaptive production systems; urban sustainability; smart cities; autonomous vehicles; and maritime engineering.
This opportunity is created by the EU-funded CPSE Labs project, which aims to support Europe's innovators. The project has brought together nine of Europe's top design & research labs, into a pan-European network spanning five countries. Each funded experiment will be partnered with a research centre, to equip successful applicants with infrastructure, knowledge, and tools needed to support rapid development of innovative CPS products and services.
Detailed information about the Open Call is available on the CPSE Labs website: www.cpse-labs.eu/calls.php