ABSTRACT

The ARPA-E Summit featured presentations on a number of potentially disruptive energy technologies, as well as emphasized the importance of basic science R&D and the critical role of the government in supporting this area to promote breakthrough innovation. Ultimately, not only will developers need to overcome technical challenges with respect to their technologies, but barriers also lie in political uncertainties, a period of growing fossil fuel and natural gas availability, and utility/institutional structures that continue to value the benefits of traditional generation assets such as coal, gas, and nuclear.