The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to solicit input for a potential future ARPA-E program to support research and development (R&D) projects focused on technologies to improve the resilience, reliability, and security of the electric grid through innovations in substations. The goal of this potential R&D effort is to support the development of technologies that fast-track the manufacturing of large power transformers (LPT) and other substation components, while increasing their modularity, performance, functionality, and power density. ARPA-E is seeking information at this time regarding transformative, scalable, and rapidly deployable technologies that could:
ARPA-E is requesting information about substation-related problems and the technological innovations that could address those problems. While significant and wide-ranging opportunities for improvement exist, ARPA-E programs seek to identify specific priority areas for technology development to make maximum impact. Therefore, this RFI solicits input from a wide range of disciplines and stakeholders such as power systems and power electronics experts, transformer manufacturers, substation developers, magnetic material scientists, energy storage experts, and other related communities to explore innovative and disruptive ideas related to active substations. ARPA-E is interested in input related to substation planning, design and commissioning, magnetic and copper material usage, and system resilience. ARPA-E is also interested in large power transformer-related challenges such as supply chains, manufacturing, and transport.
It is expected that respondents will inform the agency of key components or system-level areas where accelerated advancements are needed. Example component areas of interest include, but are not limited to, magnetic and dielectric materials, bushings, electric field management, magnetic flux materials, thermal designs, and winding insulation. Example system-level solutions of interest include, but are not limited to, flexible (hybrid) power transformers with modular power converters, solid-state transformers for high-voltage applications, hybrid transformers with integrated energy storage, modular transformer designs with basic transformer blocks, and mobile substations for capacity and resilience management.
RFI Guidelines:
Note that the information you provide will be used by ARPA-E solely for potential program planning, without attribution. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION ONLY. THIS NOTICE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY. NO FUNDING OPPORTUNITY 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 a compendium of responses. Respondents shall not include any information in the response to this RFI that could be considered proprietary or confidential.
Responses to this RFI should be submitted in PDF format to the email address ARPA-E-RFI@hq.doe.gov by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on Monday, September 22, 2025.