The purpose of this RFI is to solicit input for a potential future ARPA-E research program focused on the integration of nuclear reactor facilities into industrial processes to enable their provision of carbon-free heat and/or power. ARPA-E is seeking information regarding transformative and implementable technologies to facilitate this integration.
The recent focus on decarbonization and sustainability has created new opportunities for novel combinations of existing, or emerging, technologies in new sector applications. Industrial processes, which generate 24% of our nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, remain difficult to decarbonize due to their large heat requirements. The potential to integrate advanced nuclear reactors with industrial processes (such as those in oil and gas, petrochemicals, and steel and aluminum production) offers a potential pathway to reduce or eliminate carbon emissions from this sector.
This request for information aims to gather information from interested and relevant stakeholders on general, technical, technology-to-market, and regulatory issues related to the coupling of nuclear heat and power to industrial processes beyond pure power production.
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.
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 Thursday, March 30, 2023.