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Congressman Paul Tonko praised today a U.S. Department of Energy decision to award GE Global Research with funding in the amount of $2,275,671 to develop new systems that generate and deliver low-cost, high-efficiency solar energy on demand. The grant is funded through the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E), an agency that Tonko has worked with and supported during his time in Congress.

“This is a big win for everyone in the Capital Region,”Tonko said. “These investments pay off in the long run as the energy we consume begins to cost less and last longer – all while reducing our dependence on foreign oil. GE has positioned itself as a major driver of economic development and employment in the region, and the cutting edge research done right here in our own backyard is working to position our nation as a global leader in energy production. As I have long said, research equals jobs. This award is no exception.”

The grant is awarded through ARPA-E’s Full-Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS) program. GE will use the funding to design and test components of a unique gas turbine that is driven by high-temperature, high-pressure carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide expands to low pressure and extremely cold temperatures to generate electricity from stored electrical and heat energy. This grid-scale energy storage system could be coupled to a hybrid solar converter to deliver solar electricity on demand.

House leadership had proposed that ARPA-E funding be dramatically slashed for fiscal year 2014. The House passed legislation in July of 2013 that would have cut the agency’s funding by 81%. Congressman Tonko spoke against these cuts and touted the program’s support of high-impact energy projects like the one awarded to the region today. In the recently-passed budget deal, ARPA-E received a $29 million increase from fiscal year 2013.

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