On December 16, the US Department of Energy (DOE) announced it will award $184 million for research and development on advanced vehicle technologies for electric and plug-in vehicles.
Projects will research development of advanced fuels and lubricants, lightweight materials, advanced cells for electric drive batteries, and enabling engine technology.
They are also making $30 million available to develop advanced biofuels that have the economics and efficiency to compete with fossil fuels.
For 2011, DOE plans to focus loan guarantees on less developed technologies such as biofuels, carbon capture, thermal storage and batteries for storage, rather than more mature sectors like solar and wind.
DOE also released the study, Critical Materials Strategy, which analyzes the supply risks of rare earths used in cleantech, specifically in wind turbines, electric vehicles, solar cells and energy-efficient lighting. DOE will use the findings to proactively address potential supply shortage of products containing rare elements.
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