ARPA-E to begin funding alternative fusion concepts

[Ivy Matt]

[em]Science[/em] writer Daniel Clery reports that ARPA-E is preparing to launch a new funding program for fusion research, called “Accelerating Low-cost Plasma Heating and Assembly (ALPHA)”. In preparation for the funding opportunity announcement, ARPA-E has issued a Request For Information seeking partners for the new program. The funding opportunity will focus on an “intermediate ion density regime of 10^18-10^23 ions/cm^3 (at Lawson conditions)”:

Currently, ARPA-E anticipates that the FOA will focus on research in: (1) Targets, plasma formation technologies to produce plasmas with sufficient lifetime, transport properties, and geometry to pair with a driver and achieve Lawson conditions at a final density of 10^18-10^23 ions/cm^3; and (2) Drivers, systems to deliver energy to plasma targets with sufficient power density, symmetry, and mitigation of instabilities to achieve Lawson conditions at a final density of 10^18-10^23 ions/cm^3. There may be areas of overlap where a single system can both form a plasma target and drive it to fusion conditions, and such a system is also within the scope of this planned FOA.

ARPA-E is compiling a Team Partner List “to facilitate the formation of new project teams”, and encourages scientists and engineers with expertise in various areas (including “plasma pinches”, “fusion energy”, and “fusion propulsion”) to add their organization names to the list.

ARPA-E expects to issue the final Funding Opportunity Announcement in August or September this year.

[Di Vita]

Is LPPX going to apply?

[Ivy Matt]

Apparently they already have:

https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/TeamingPartners.aspx?foaid=d38ed10b-10ff-4f63-9ff6-4797f53f2c90

[Di Vita]

“Līxte se lēoma, lēoht inne stōd,
efne swā of hefene hādre scīneð
rodores candel.”

Let us hope no Grendel is going to switch off the light. May we quote one day the last line of Dante’s Inferno: ” E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle”, “And then we went out to look at the stars”.

[meemoe_uk]

I saw the news on Lawrenceville’s website about the ARPA-E rule change that allows Lawrenceville to apply. Any idea of your chances of being awarded the grant? Do you have any allies at ARPA-E?

[Ivy Matt]

The latest modification to the Funding Opportunity Announcement can be found here. Some key dates:

Jan. 27: Second Deadline for Questions to ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov
Feb. 2: Submission Deadline for Full Applications
Mar. 31: Submission Deadline for Replies to Reviewer Comments
Apr. ??: Expected Date for Selection Notifications

Reading the FOA, the following caught my notice:

ARPA-E requires all work under ARPA-E funding agreements to be performed in the United States – i.e., Prime Recipients must expend 100% of the Total Project Cost in the United States. However, Applicants may request a waiver of this requirement where their project would materially benefit from, or otherwise requires, certain work to be performed overseas.

Given that the tungsten cathode is being purchased from and machined in China, I wonder if this would require a waiver. I would think a waiver ought to be granted if there are no facilities in the United States capable of machining it. (Although there may be another way to get a tungsten cathode soon.) Or, if the award only covers work done using the beryllium electrodes, I suppose a waiver would not be necessary.

[Henning]

Ivy Matt wrote:

Reading the FOA, the following caught my notice:

ARPA-E requires all work under ARPA-E funding agreements to be performed in the United States – i.e., Prime Recipients must expend 100% of the Total Project Cost in the United States. However, Applicants may request a waiver of this requirement where their project would materially benefit from, or otherwise requires, certain work to be performed overseas.

Given that the tungsten cathode is being purchased from and machined in China, I wonder if this would require a waiver. I would think a waiver ought to be granted if there are no facilities in the United States capable of machining it. (Although there may be another way to get a tungsten cathode soon.) Or, if the award only covers work done using the beryllium electrodes, I suppose a waiver would not be necessary.

Stupid idea: Create a company called “LPP Import” that imports all the required stuff. 😉

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