WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) today joined NASA in launching a new NASA iTech challenge, a competition inviting the nation’s top entrepreneurs and researchers to showcase their ideas for transformative energy concepts. The challenge seeks to identify innovative technologies that can improve energy generation, storage and distribution to the benefit of both space exploration and life on Earth. ARPA-E will support the competition and judging process by providing subject matter expertise across a wide variety of energy technologies.

A few examples of technology sub-themes for the iTech challenge are:

Fuel cells and regenerative fuel cells

High-energy-density batteries and supercapacitors

Solar power systems

Small fission power systems

Innovative power management and distribution (including smart grids and wireless power transfer)

X-Factor Energy: innovations so compelling NASA and ARPA-E should know about them

“ARPA-E is thrilled to partner with NASA for this iTech competition and help bring the future of energy technology to space,” said ARPA-E Principal Deputy Director Chris Fall. “ARPA-E continually seeks to reinvent what’s possible, and we’re engaging our unmatched American energy innovation community to support this exciting competition.”

Starting today and continuing through April 29, 2018, inventors and entrepreneurs can submit a five-page white paper on their concept on the NASA iTech website. A panel of subject matter experts from NASA and ARPA-E will review ideas submitted and select the top 10 finalists based on their relevance and potential impact.

The top 10 finalists will be invited to present their ideas to NASA and ARPA-E technologists, other energy and space experts, and potential investors at the 2018 NASA iTech Cycle II Forum this June in New York City.

For more information, visit the NASA iTech website here.