[Image above] The Department of Energy has awarded $67 million to advance research on nuclear energy and clean energy innovation. Credit: Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Flickr; CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Last week, the Energy Department announced a $67-million funding infusion for research on nuclear energy and clean energy innovation, which, according to a DOE news release, builds on the Obama administration’s efforts to expand such innovation.
“The Department’s support for cutting-edge nuclear science and engineering across our universities, national laboratories, and industry reflects the key role of nuclear energy in helping ensure America’s low carbon future,” says Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “These awards not only provide crucial funding for research and development, but also for the training and education of the next generation nuclear energy workforce that will enhance American leadership in the safe, secure and efficient use of nuclear energy here and around the world.”
The monies will be divided amongst 83 projects, selected based on their potential for scientific breakthroughs that would slash carbon emissions or strengthen the nation’s energy stores.
Here’s how those 67 million bucks break down:
- $30 million will be given to 44 nuclear energy research projects headed by 30 universities across the country. The funding will be funneled through the department’s Nuclear Energy Research Programs.
- $4 million will be awarded to 19 universities for improvements at the country’s 25 infrastructure and research reactors, “enhancing university research and training infrastructure.”
- $20 million will help five Integrated Research Projects “deliver solutions to high-priority nuclear energy research challenges.” These challenges include instrumentation and vacuum drying systems, the development of high-temperature reactor technology, and advances in instrumentation.
- $11 million is earmarked for addressing “crosscutting nuclear energy challenges” through a dozen DOE lab-, industry-, or university-led R&D projects.
- $1 million is tagged for a set of infrastructure enhancement projects to further reactor materials and research on instrumentation at DOE labs.
According to the DOE, since 2009, the department has awarded more than $350 million to U.S. colleges and universities for the advancement of nuclear technology and to better prepare nuclear engineers and scientists.