U.S. Energy Agency Stumbles Out of the Blocks

摘要

The new U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) is supposed to "disrupt the status quo" by funding "transformational" ideas that will help end the country's dependence on foreign oil, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and move the economy toward sustainable energy sources. So far, however, the agency has caused more disruption among scientists than transformation of the U.S. energy sector.rnResearchers are grumbling about the way ARPA-E, which is part of the Department of Energy (DOE), is handling its first round of grant proposals. On 27 April, the agency asked for preliminary ideas for spending the first $ 150 million of some $400 million it was given in the president's stimulus package. The solicitation was a big hit: Researchers submitted 3500 concept papers describing myriad ways to revolutionize every conceivable type of energy technology.