Funding Opportunities

The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA–E) intends to issue a new Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) that would seek to enhance the pace of energy innovation by accelerating the incorporation of machine learning into the engineering design processes for energy technologies and systems.

In order to organize the anticipated efforts, a simplified engineering design process framework has been adopted (Figure 1 - see attached document). Within the context of this framework, it is possible to conceptualize how machine learning tools would help engineers to execute and solve several general mathematical optimization problems, common to many (perhaps most) engineering design processes, in a manner that dramatically accelerates the pace of energy innovation.

The envisioned program would seek to enhance several aspects of the design process via machine-learning tools:

1) Hypothesis Generation Tools: Enhance the creativity of the hypothesis generation (i.e. conceptual design) process by helping engineers develop new concepts and by enabling the consideration of a larger and more diverse set of design options. Many of the design problems at this stage of the process can be characterized as Mixed Integer Non-Linear Optimization problems;

2) Hypothesis Evaluation Tools: Enhance the efficiency of the high-fidelity evaluation (i.e. detailed design) process by accelerating the high-fidelity analysis and optimization of the hypothesized solution concepts. Many of the design problems at this stage of the process can be characterized as Non-Linear Constrained Optimization problems; and

3) Inverse Design Tools:Reduce (ideally eliminate) design iteration by developing the capability to execute “inverse design” processes in which the product design is effectively expressed as an explicit function of the problem statement.

ARPA-E envisions posing several challenge problems to motivate the development of enhanced design processes/tools. These challenge problems are in areas that ARPA-E feels to be of significant importance and for which it feels that adequate data either are available or can be generated during the program. Note: the intended FOA evaluation criteria are expected be principally focused on the potential impact that the proposed ML-enhanced design tools might have on future general engineering design processes through their potential to reduce design cost, time and risk and/or increase design performance, robustness and novelty.

Potential design challenge problems include the following:

· Hypothesis Generation (i.e. Conceptual Design)

• Thermodynamic Cycles/Chemical Processes (e.g. Gas Separations)
• Electrical Circuits
• Materials/Molecules

· Hypothesis Evaluation (I.e. Detailed Design)

• Fuel/Electrolyzer Cells
• Gas Compressors
• Solar Cells

· Inverse Design

• Aerodynamic Surfaces
• Optical Devices

ARPA-E envisions projects that seek to develop machine learning enhanced tools that facilitate the solution to one of the above challenge problems. It is also envisioned that, for any of the above categories, there will be an option for applicant teams to propose their own, alternative challenge problem so long as it is sufficiently justified (i. e. that it is both highly impactful and especially appropriate/ripe for enhancement via machine learning). It is expected that each proposal would explicitly identify a selected challenge problem, an anticipated ML-enhanced solution approach, a data[1] acquisition/generation strategy, the major development risks, and an anticipated path to market for the design tool / software to be developed. It is important to note that ARPA-E does not envision developing prototypes of physical systems through this FOA – the focus is on developing the ML-enhanced design tools only.

As described in more detail below, the purpose of this teaming announcement is to facilitate the formation of new project teams to respond to the pending FOA. The FOA will provide specific program goals, technical metrics, selection criteria, and other terms and requirements. However, for purposes of the Teaming Partner List, a summary of the currently anticipated scope is provided below.

In order to realize the envisioned program goals, ARPA‐E aims to bring together diverse engineering and scientific communities. These communities include, but are not limited to machine learning, mathematics/optimization, computer science, software, and energy (e.g. mechanical, chemical, materials, or electrical) engineering.

As a general matter, ARPA-E strongly encourages outstanding scientists and engineers from different organizations, scientific disciplines, and technology sectors to form project teams. Interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration spanning organizational boundaries enables and accelerates the achievement of scientific and technological outcomes that were previously viewed as extremely difficult, if not impossible.

The Teaming Partner List is being compiled to facilitate the formation of new project teams. The Teaming Partner List will be available on ARPA-E eXCHANGE (http://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov), ARPA-E’s online application portal, starting January 15, 2019. The Teaming Partner List will be updated periodically, until the close of the Full Application period, to reflect new Teaming Partners who have provided their information.

Any organization that would like to be included on this list should complete all required fields in the following link: https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Applicantprofile.aspx. Required information includes: Organization Name, Contact Name, Contact Address, Contact Email, Contact Phone, Organization Type, Area of Technical Expertise, and Brief Description of Capabilities.

By submitting a response to this Notice, you consent to the publication of the above-referenced information. By facilitating this Teaming Partner List, ARPA-E does not endorse or otherwise evaluate the qualifications of the entities that self-identify themselves for placement on the Teaming Partner List.  ARPA-E will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any respondents for the development of such information. Responses submitted to other email addresses or by other means will not be considered.

[1] In the interest of minimizing the cost of acquiring/generating training data, it is anticipated that the vast majority of the “data” used in the development of the desired tools will be generated with physics-based models.

The Quantum Computing for Computational Chemistry program (QC³) aims to harness the transformative power of quantum computing to accelerate energy innovation. Computation plays an essential role in modern R&D, but classical computers struggle to simulate quantum systems with the speed, scale, and accuracy necessary to advance many commercial energy applications. This program will support the R&D of scalable, generalizable quantum computing approaches to computational chemistry and materials science. These approaches will be exponentially faster than the classical computing state-of-the-art (SoA), improving speed, accuracy, or problem size by 100 times (100x). This could result in a cumulative energy impact of 1 quadrillion British thermal units (1 quad), which is equal to a reduction of roughly 1 gigaton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) emissions from energy-related activities.

The QC³ program focuses on developing and applying quantum algorithms in key energy research areas where classical methods are insufficient. This includes the development of quantum chemistry algorithms, their translation into quantum circuits or analog programs, and rigorous validation against classical benchmarks and experiments. The goal is to validate these algorithms on a quantum computer with approximately 100 logical qubits to show scalability and practical advantages over classical computation for energy applications.

Projects under this program must complete the following program objectives:

1. Identify a specific problem in chemistry or materials science where a quantum solution, if scalable and generalizable, can lead to cumulative quad-scale energy impact or gigaton-scale reduction in energy-related CO₂e emissions.
2. Develop solutions which are optimized through the full quantum computational stack (applications, software/algorithms, and hardware). The solution must have a provable ability to scale effectively as quantum hardware improves.
3. Have access to and validate on quantum hardware.
4. Complete one of the following:
   1. Achieve a scalable 100x improvement over the classical SoA in speed, accuracy, problem size, or some other relevant capability on the identified energy-relevant problem; or
   2. Prove scalability using hardware resource estimation and running smaller dimensional problems on available quantum hardware if 100x improvement cannot be realized on the identified energy-relevant problem by the end of the performance period.

PLEASE NOTE: The Budget Justification Workbook / SF-424A template was updated on January 16, 2025. Please use the version labeled June 2024.

The Quantum Computing for Computational Chemistry program (QC³) aims to harness the transformative power of quantum computing to accelerate energy innovation. Computation plays an essential role in modern R&D, but classical computers struggle to simulate quantum systems with the speed, scale, and accuracy necessary to advance many commercial energy applications. This program will support the R&D of scalable, generalizable quantum computing approaches to computational chemistry and materials science. These approaches will be exponentially faster than the classical computing state-of-the-art (SoA), improving speed, accuracy, or problem size by 100 times (100x). This could result in a cumulative energy impact of 1 quadrillion British thermal units (1 quad), which is equal to a reduction of roughly 1 gigaton of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) emissions from energy-related activities.

The QC³ program focuses on developing and applying quantum algorithms in key energy research areas where classical methods are insufficient. This includes the development of quantum chemistry algorithms, their translation into quantum circuits or analog programs, and rigorous validation against classical benchmarks and experiments. The goal is to validate these algorithms on a quantum computer with approximately 100 logical qubits to show scalability and practical advantages over classical computation for energy applications.

Projects under this program must complete the following program objectives:

1. Identify a specific problem in chemistry or materials science where a quantum solution, if scalable and generalizable, can lead to cumulative quad-scale energy impact or gigaton-scale reduction in energy-related CO₂e emissions.
2. Develop solutions which are optimized through the full quantum computational stack (applications, software/algorithms, and hardware). The solution must have a provable ability to scale effectively as quantum hardware improves.
3. Have access to and validate on quantum hardware.
4. Complete one of the following:
   1. Achieve a scalable 100x improvement over the classical SoA in speed, accuracy, problem size, or some other relevant capability on the identified energy-relevant problem; or
   2. Prove scalability using hardware resource estimation and running smaller dimensional problems on available quantum hardware if 100x improvement cannot be realized on the identified energy-relevant problem by the end of the performance period.

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit input for potential future ARPA-E research programs focused on innovative technologies and approaches for resource exploration, discovery, appraisal, mining, and processing of critical minerals. Goals of the potential programs could include:

ARPA-E is seeking information from universities, non-governmental organizations, small businesses, large businesses, federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs), and government-owned/government-operated (GOGO) organizations regarding such transformative and implementable technologies not currently deployed for mineral extraction to facilitate the future mining of critical minerals.

Areas Not of Interest for Responses to this RFI:

Any potential program would be focused on future resource discovery, appraisal, mining, and processing of critical minerals. Approaches not of interest include:

• Incremental improvements to existing technology;
• Electrification of existing mineral handling and beneficiation systems/circuits;
• Recycling of critical metals from waste sources that are not related to mining processes; and
• Topics directly related to the extraction of hydrocarbons (e.g., coal, oil, and gas).

RFI Guidelines:

PLEASE CAREFULLY REVIEW ALL RFI GUIDELINES BELOW.

Please note that the information you provide will be used by ARPA-E solely for program planning, without attribution. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. THIS NOTICE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA). NO FOA EXISTS AT THIS TIME.

The purpose of this RFI is solely to solicit input for ARPA-E consideration to inform the possible formulation of future research programs. ARPA-E will not provide funding or compensation for any information submitted in response to this RFI, and ARPA-E may use information submitted to this RFI without any attribution to the source. This RFI provides the broad research community with an opportunity to contribute views and opinions.

No material submitted for review will be returned and there will be no formal or informal debriefing concerning the review of any submitted material. ARPA-E may contact respondents to request clarification or seek additional information relevant to this RFI. All responses provided will be considered, but ARPA-E will not respond to individual submissions or publish publicly a compendium of responses. Respondents shall not include any information in the response to this RFI that could be considered proprietary or confidential.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) is considering issuing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to support the development of quantum computing technologies aimed at accelerating energy innovation. This potential FOA would focus on quantum computing for advances in chemistry and materials that significantly address ARPA-E mission areas, such as improving energy efficiency and reducing energy-related emissions, including greenhouse gas emissions. The purpose of this announcement is to facilitate the formation of new project teams to respond to a potential future FOA. Any FOA issued in the future would provide specific program goals, technical metrics, and selection criteria. FOA terms would be controlling.

The anticipated goals of the program include developing scalable quantum algorithms for chemistry and materials simulations. The program is expected to culminate in a three-year performance period, resulting in transformative quantum applications with disruptive performance increases compared to classical calculations in metrics such as speed or accuracy. The FOA is expected to require that performance be validated on quantum hardware, either outperforming the classical state-of-the-art or showing a clear path to do so in a scalable manner.

Expertise in the following areas may be useful in responding to the potential FOA:

• Chemistry and Materials Applications: Teams must plan to solve an impactful chemistry or materials problem in the energy space and quantify the relevance to ARPA-E's mission. Therefore, expertise in the specific application in materials science or chemistry may be useful to ensure that the problem is indeed of interest to that field, that solving it would represent a major—not incremental—advance in the field, and that the problem is unlikely to be solved by another approach.
• Classical High-Performance Computing: Experts in classical computational methods used to study chemistry and materials may be useful to ensure that quantum results are compared to and validated against the best available classical methods.
• Quantum Algorithms and Software Engineering: Experts in the design of quantum algorithms, specifically those relevant to chemistry and materials science, may be useful to address the core goals of the potential FOA.
• Quantum Compilation, Embedding, and Error-Correction: Specialists in optimizing circuits and error-correction protocols may be useful to optimize higher-level algorithms for maximum performance on the specific quantum hardware.
• Quantum Hardware: It may be useful to include experts in the specific qubits and architecture that will be used to solve the problem and the likely state of hardware by the end of the period of performance.

Successful teams are likely to include experts from all identified areas of expertise in order to be able to design an approach that leverages quantum computing hardware to solve a practical problem related to ARPA-E’s mission in energy. Although a single person may be able to fill more than one of these expert roles, a complete set of experts is unlikely to exist within any single organization. We anticipate effective teaming will be critical for project success.

As a general matter, ARPA-E strongly encourages outstanding scientists and engineers from different organizations, scientific disciplines, and technology sectors to form new project teams. Interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration spanning organizational boundaries enables and accelerates scientific and technological outcomes that were previously viewed as extremely difficult, if not impossible, to achieve.

The Teaming Partner List is being compiled to facilitate the formation of new project teams. The Teaming Partner List will be available on ARPA-E eXCHANGE (http://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov), ARPA-E’s online application portal, starting in August 2024. The Teaming Partner List will be updated periodically until the close of the Full Application period to reflect new Teaming Partners who have provided their information.

Any organization that would like to be included on this list should complete all required fields in the following link: https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Applicantprofile.aspx. Required information includes the following: Organization Name, Contact Name, Contact Address, Contact Email, Contact Phone, Organization Type, Area of Technical Expertise, and Brief Description of Capabilities.

By submitting a response to this Notice, you consent to the publication of the above-referenced information. By facilitating this Teaming Partner List, ARPA-E does not endorse or otherwise evaluate the qualifications of the entities that self-identify for placement on the Teaming Partner List. ARPA-E will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any respondents for the development of such information. Responses submitted to other email addresses or by other means will not be considered. Participation in and utilization of this list is completely voluntary. ARPA-E will not identify or facilitate connections through the teaming list and participation in the list has no bearing whatsoever on the evaluation of applications submitted to the potential FOA.

Development of advanced power electronics with unprecedented functionality, efficiency, reliability, and form factor will help provide the U.S. a critical technological advantage in an increasingly electrified world economy. The CIRCUITS (Creating Innovative and Reliable Circuits Using Inventive Topologies and Semiconductors) program seeks to accelerate the development and deployment of a new class of efficient, lightweight, and reliable power converters based on wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors through transformational system-level advances that enable effective operation at high switching frequency, high temperature, and low loss. Previous efforts by ARPA-E and others have primarily focused on WBG material and device development without focused consideration and redesign of the circuit topology. Such solutions do not fully exploit the potential performance improvements enabled by this new class of power semiconductor devices. Areas of particular interest for the CIRCUITS program include novel circuit topologies, advanced control and drive electronics, and innovative packaging. Such technological breakthroughs would catalyze the adoption of higher performance power converters in various critical applications (motor drives, automotive, power supplies, data centers, aerospace, ship propulsion, rail, distributed energy, and the grid) that offer significant direct and indirect energy savings and emissions reductions across electricity generation, transmission and distribution, and load-side consumption. Coupling novel and advanced circuit topologies with leading edge materials such as WBG semiconductor devices has the capacity to catalyze disruptive improvements for power electronics and subsequently for the U.S. economy.

Development of advanced power electronics with unprecedented functionality, efficiency, reliability, and form factor will help provide the U.S. a critical technological advantage in an increasingly electrified world economy. The CIRCUITS (Creating Innovative and Reliable Circuits Using Inventive Topologies and Semiconductors) program seeks to accelerate the development and deployment of a new class of efficient, lightweight, and reliable power converters based on wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors through transformational system-level advances that enable effective operation at high switching frequency, high temperature, and low loss. Previous efforts by ARPA-E and others have primarily focused on WBG material and device development without focused consideration and redesign of the circuit topology. Such solutions do not fully exploit the potential performance improvements enabled by this new class of power semiconductor devices. Areas of particular interest for the CIRCUITS program include novel circuit topologies, advanced control and drive electronics, and innovative packaging. Such technological breakthroughs would catalyze the adoption of higher performance power converters in various critical applications (motor drives, automotive, power supplies, data centers, aerospace, ship propulsion, rail, distributed energy, and the grid) that offer significant direct and indirect energy savings and emissions reductions across electricity generation, transmission and distribution, and load-side consumption. Coupling novel and advanced circuit topologies with leading edge materials such as WBG semiconductor devices has the capacity to catalyze disruptive improvements for power electronics and subsequently for the U.S. economy.

The Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy (ARPA-E) intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) tentatively entitled: Creating Innovative and Reliable Circuits Using Inventive Topologies and Semiconductors (CIRCUITS) to fund the development of disruptive advanced circuit topologies using fundamentally higher performing wide-bandgap (WBG) semiconductor devices that lead to more efficient, more reliable, smaller, lighter, and lower cost electric power conversion systems. The overall goal of the CIRCUITS program will be to improve the efficiency of electric power conversion across a wide range of applications by overcoming the limitations of conventional silicon-based circuits through the holistic development of circuit topologies, controls, packaging, and application specific architectures that take full advantage of the inherent energy efficiency of WBG devices.

As described in more detail below, the purpose of this announcement is to facilitate the formation of new project teams to respond to the upcoming CIRCUITS FOA. The anticipated FOA will provide specific program goals, technical metrics, selection criteria, and other terms and requirements. The anticipated FOA terms will be controlling. ARPA-E anticipates that the deadline for submission of Concept Papers will occur 30 days after issuance of the anticipated FOA. For purposes of the Teaming Partner List, the following summarizes current planning for the anticipated FOA:

The technical goals of the anticipated FOA will be centered on the development of electric power converters with advanced circuit topology, control & drive electronics, and packaging that take full advantage of WBG devices to demonstrate transformational improvements over state-of-the-art in relative loss, size, weight, reliability, and cost while maintaining EMI compliance. Additionally, application specific architectures that take advantage of transformational electric power converters to improve the energy efficiency in wide range of applications areas including, but not limited to: solar & wind, high/medium voltage DC distribution, hybrid/electric vehicles, EV chargers, data centers and power supplies, motor drives and HVAC, solid state lighting, aerospace, and rail & ship propulsion are of interest in the FOA. It is envisioned that the desired efficiency improvement may be achieved directly, through inherently more efficient and cost-effective electric power conversion circuit designs, and indirectly, by enabling the accelerated adoption of higher efficiency sources and loads.

Currently, ARPA-E anticipates that the FOA will target research in: (1) innovative circuit topologies, (2) advanced gate drive and control electronics, (3) 3D or other novel packaging, (4) advanced thermal design with passive/active cooling, (5) application specific system architectures, and (6) electromagnetic modeling.

In order to realize the goals of the CIRCUITS program, ARPA‐E aims to bring together diverse engineering and scientific communities, including but not limited to circuit designers, power electronics engineers, application engineers, RF engineers, IC designers, software and firmware engineers, system architects, system installers, grid power electronics, pulsed power scientists and engineers, thermal management and mechanical engineers, packaging and module engineers, electromagnetic interference-compliance engineers, physicists, test engineers, product engineers, WBG device engineers, and facilities and operations engineers.

As a general matter, ARPA-E strongly encourages outstanding scientists and engineers from different organizations, scientific disciplines, and technology sectors to form new project teams. Interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration spanning organizational boundaries enables and accelerates the achievement of scientific and technological outcomes that were previously viewed as extremely difficult, if not impossible.

The Teaming Partner List is being compiled to facilitate the formation of new project teams. The Teaming Partner List will be available on ARPA-E eXCHANGE (http://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov), ARPA-E’s online application portal, starting November 16, 2016. The Teaming Partner List will be updated periodically, until the close of the Full Application period, to reflect new Teaming Partners who have provided their information.

Any organization that would like to be included on this list should complete all required fields in the following link: https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov/Applicantprofile.aspx. Required information includes: Organization Name, Contact Name, Contact Address, Contact Email, Contact Phone, Organization Type, Area of Technical Expertise, and Brief Description of Capabilities.

By submitting a response to this Notice, you consent to the publication of the above-referenced information. By facilitating this Teaming Partner List, ARPA-E does not endorse or otherwise evaluate the qualifications of the entities that self-identify for placement on the Teaming Partner List. ARPA-E will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any respondents for the development of such information. Responses submitted to other email addresses or by other means will not be considered.

This Notice does not constitute a FOA. No FOA exists at this time. Applicants must refer to the final FOA, expected to be issued in December 2016, for instructions on submitting an application and for the terms and conditions of funding.

ARPA-E seeks input from the power electronics, electrical engineering, and circuit design communities regarding the development of next-generation advanced circuit topologies for use in power electronics systems that facilitate higher efficiency, more reliable, reduced size and weight, and lower cost devices and/or system architectures. Consistent with the agency’s mission, ARPA-E is seeking clearly disruptive, novel technologies, early in the R&D cycle, and not integration strategies for existing technologies.

With advanced circuit topologies, it is possible to envision realizing efficiency gains both directly, by inherently more efficient designs, and indirectly, by facilitating higher levels of adoption for fundamentally higher performing materials. ARPA-E desires input from a broad range of disciplines and fields, including, but not limited to: power electronics, electrical engineering, circuit design, wide-bandgap materials, semiconductor devices, packaging and module design, and others. This includes input from the developers and end-users of such technologies, such as power supplies, LED drivers, data centers, automotive (Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles), high-performance computing centers, solar inverters/power conditioners, electric motor driven systems, wind-electric systems, high/medium voltage transmission/distribution, rail/ship propulsion, and emerging new applications not yet categorized. ARPA-E is particularly interested in how next-generation advanced circuit topologies will help to realize the promise of higher efficiency systems.

Please carefully review the REQUEST FOR INFORMATION GUIDELINES below, and note in particular: the information you provide will be used by ARPA-E solely for program planning, without attribution. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. THIS NOTICE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA). NO FOA EXISTS AT THIS TIME. Respondents shall not include any information in their response to this RFI that might be considered proprietary or confidential.

Background:

Power electronics are an integral part of many energy systems, including but not limited to power supplies, LED drivers, data centers, automotive, solar inverters, and electric motor drives. By 2030, an estimated 80% of all U.S. electricity is expected to flow through power electronics[1]. Because of this high potential impact, ARPA-E has invested significantly in programs to develop power electronics technologies[2]^,[3],[4]. These previous efforts have focused primarily on material and device development where advanced wide-bandgap semiconductor materials, such as silicon carbide and/or gallium nitride, would be substituted for silicon, but mostly without focused consideration and redesign of the circuit topology. Direct replacement of Si devices by wide-bandgap semiconductor devices offers limited improvements in power electronic performance metrics. Thus, there is now an opportunity to build on the successes from earlier programs and aim for both higher performance, as well as increased market penetration of these highly promising technologies.

Given the capabilities of emerging wide-bandgap materials and devices, ARPA-E believes there are new opportunities for innovations in power electronics such as converter circuit topologies and architectures, resonant and soft switching, control techniques, integration and packaging, and system architectures. These innovations can support ARPA-E’s mission by leading to higher efficiency power conversion in two different ways: (1) directly, through realization of design that are more efficient and (2) indirectly, by enabling inherently higher efficiency wide-bandgap materials. Recent advances have demonstrated high performance wide-bandgap semiconductor devices, but they have not yet achieved high rates of adoption because power circuits have not been designed that exploit their inherent advantages. Additionally, there are concerns about the cost and reliability of wide-bandgap semiconductor devices. New circuit topologies could be designed to fully extract the potential of wide-bandgap semiconductor devices while addressing the cost and reliability concerns.

ARPA-E believes that the timing is right to leverage recent progress in electronic materials and devices to fully realize their benefits. There are numerous precedents for advances in device technology to require new approaches at the circuit and system level for significant proliferation of the technology. For example, recent programs in compound semiconductors have driven progress in envelope tracking circuits for reducing power (which extends lifetime), as well as performance improvements via heterogeneous integration with other device technologies[5]. Basic materials and device developments (e.g., low-k dielectrics, silicon-on-insulator wafers, Cu interconnect) are typically slow to be adopted often due to reliability concerns and can take 5-10 years until circuit and product teams learn how to make use of the new technology reliably in their designs. This is currently happening with recent progress in 3D memory technology, with designers learning to leverage the new capability[6]^,[7]. Solar inverters provide another example, with circuit designs incorporating distributed inverters throughout solar cells, the overall reliability and performance of the system are improved compared to having one larger inverter farther away from the solar panels. This guidance from the recent history of progress in advanced electronics has generated ARPA-E’s interest in a potential effort in novel power electronic systems enabled by wide-bandgap semiconductors to continue to advance the exciting power electronics technologies developed in previous R&D projects.

ARPA-E is thus seeking input from the broad research and development community with regard to developing advanced circuit topologies and systems; in particular, circuits that incorporate advanced wide-bandgap materials that are inherently more efficient, such as SiC or GaN. In addition, we would like to understand all barriers to adoption, whether technical or market-based and any ideas on which might be solved through innovative circuit design. Such insights that leverage the application and adoption of these advanced circuit topologies to well-defined end-use applications are strongly encouraged.

Purpose and Need for Information:

The purpose of this RFI is solely to solicit input for ARPA-E consideration to inform the possible formulation of future programs intended to help create transformative converter circuit topologies that enable innovative higher efficiency power electronics systems. ARPA-E will not provide funding or compensation for any information submitted in response to this RFI, and ARPA-E may use information submitted to this RFI on a non-attribution basis. This RFI provides the broad research community with an opportunity to contribute views and opinions regarding the advanced circuit topologies development path, energy use and adoption consideration in relevant end-use applications. Based on the input provided in response to this RFI and other considerations, ARPA-E may decide to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). If a FOA is published, it will be issued under a new FOA number. No FOA exists at this time. ARPA-E reserves the right to not issue a FOA in this area.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION GUIDELINES:

ARPA-E is not accepting applications for financial assistance or financial incentives under this RFI. Responses to this RFI will not be viewed as any commitment by the respondent to develop or pursue the project or ideas discussed. ARPA-E may decide at a later date to issue a FOA based on consideration of the input received from this RFI. No material submitted for review will be returned and there will be no formal or informal debriefing concerning the review of any submitted material. ARPA-E reserves the right to contact a respondent to request clarification or other information relevant to this RFI. All responses provided will be taken into consideration, but ARPA-E will not respond to individual submissions or publish publicly a compendium of responses. Respondents shall not include any information in the response to this RFI that might be considered proprietary or confidential.

Responses to this RFI should be submitted in PDF or Word format to the email address ARPA-E-RFI@hq.doe.gov by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Monday, August 29th October 17th 2016. ARPA-E will not review or consider comments submitted by other means. Emails should conform to the following guidelines:

Please insert “Responses for RFI Number DE-FOA-0001609” in the subject line of your email, and include

• your name
• title
• organization
• type of organization (e.g., university, non-governmental organization, small business, large business, federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) government-owned/government-operated (GOGO), etc.)
• email address
• telephone number;
• and area of expertise in the body of your email.
• Responses to this RFI are limited to no more than 10 pages in length (12 point font size).
• Responders are strongly encouraged to include preliminary results, data, and figures that describe their potential methodologies. However, do not include any information in a response to this RFI that might be considered proprietary or confidential