Funding-NSF- Energy
for Sustainability; October 20, 2015
Agency
National
Science Foundation
Description
The
goal of the Energy for Sustainability program is to support
fundamental engineering research that will enable innovative processes for the
sustainable production of electricity and fuels. Processes for sustainable
energy production must be environmentally benign, reduce greenhouse gas
production, and utilize renewable resources.
Current
topics of interest include:
- Biomass
Conversion, Biofuels & Bioenergy: Fundamental research on
innovative approaches that lead to the intensification of biofuel and
bioenergy processes is an emphasis area of this program. Specific areas of
interest include, but are not limited to: biological, thermochemical, or thermocatalytic routes for the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to advanced biofuels beyond
cellulosic ethanol; microbial fuel cells for direct production of
electricity from renewable carbon sources; hydrogen production from
autotrophic or heterotrophic microorganisms; hydrocarbons and lipids from
phototrophic or heterotrophic microorganisms. Proposals that focus
primarily on chemical reactor analysis related to biomass conversion
should be submitted to Process Systems, Reaction Engineering and Molecular
Thermodynamics (CBET 1403), and proposals related to the combustion of
biomass should be sent to Combustion and Fire Systems (CBET 1407).
Proposals that focus on the fundamentals of catalysis or biocatalysis should be submitted to Catalysis and Biocatalysis (CBET 1401).
- Photovoltaic
(PV) Solar Energy: Fundamental research on innovative processes for
the fabrication and theory-based characterization of future PV devices is
an emphasis area of this program. Specific areas of interest include, but
are not limited to: nano-enabled PV devices
containing nanostructured semiconductors, plasmonic
materials, photonic structures, or conducting polymers; earth-abundant and
environmentally benign materials for photovoltaic devices; photocatalytic
or photoelectrochemical processes for the
splitting of water into H2 gas, or for the reduction of CO2 to
liquid or gaseous fuels. Proposals that focus on the fundamentals of
photocatalysis should be submitted to Catalysis
and Biocatalysis (CBET 1401). The generation of
thermal energy by solar radiation is not an area supported by this
program, but may be considered by Thermal Transport Processes (CBET 1406).
- Advanced
Batteries for Transportation and Renewable Energy Storage: Radically new
battery systems or breakthroughs based on existing systems can move the US
more rapidly toward a more sustainable transportation future. The focus is
on high-energy density and high-power density batteries suitable for
transportation and renewable energy storage applications. Advanced
systems such as lithium-air, sodium-ion, as well as lithium-ion
electrochemical energy storage are appropriate. Work on commercially
available systems such as lead-acid and nickel-metal hydride batteries
will not be considered by this program. Fuel-cell related proposals
should be directed to other CBET programs, depending on emphasis: electrocatalysis (Catalysis and Biocatalysis,
CBET 1401); membranes (Chemical and Biological Separations, CBET 1417);
systems (Process Systems, Reaction Engineering and Molecular
Thermodynamics, CBET 1403).
Announcement
Number:
15-7644
Closing
Date:
October
20, 2015
Link
to Full Announcement
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501026&WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click
Contact
Information
Gregory
L. Rorrer
(703)
292-8045
grorrer@nsf.gov