The Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA-E) funds high risk, high reward transformational research to reduce energy related emissions, reduce imports of energy from foreign sources, improve energy efficiency across all economic sectors, and ensure US technological lead in advanced energy technologies, including electrochemical energy storage and transformation for grid scale and automotive applications.

High temperature electrochemical technologies and supporting materials (membranes, current collectors, seals, etc.) play an important role in electrochemical (batteries with molten electrodes and molten salt electrolytes) and chemical (electrosynthesis of fuels) energy storage and energy conversion (intermediate and high temperature solid oxide and proton conducting fuel cells and electrolyzers). In addition, high temperature electrochemical technologies to process and recycle metals such as aluminum, titanium, and magnesium are important for advanced manufacturing. The use of high temperatures allows for utilization of ion conducting materials, electrolytes and electrocatalysts, which cannot be utilized at ambient conditions due to low conductivity or activity respectively. Current challenges in high temperature electrochemistry are increasing ionic conductivity of liquid and solid electrolytes to decrease working temperatures and expand material compatibility, improving activity and selectivity of electrocatalysts to decrease energy consumption and costs, increasing power density of stacks to decrease the capital costs, and optimizing the balance of system, which is extremely important for smaller scale devices.

ARPA-E funded and currently funds multiple projects targeting high temperature electrochemical processes and development of materials compatible with these processes through OPEN, IDEAS and focused programs. The Modern Electro/Thermochemical Advances in Light Metals Systems (METALS) targets technologies that may provide inexpensive light metal materials for lightweight vehicles and aircraft. The Reliable Electricity Based on Electrochemical Systems (REBELS) program is focused at intermediate temperature fuel cells that operate between 200-500^oC and includes cell capable to produce liquid fuels along with electricity to support the distributed energy generation for more reliable and flexible smart grid. The Renewable Electricity to Fuels through Utilization of Energy-dense Liquids (REFUEL) program seeks to fund the development of intermediate and high temperature electrosynthesis and fuel cells technologies to produce and utilize carbon-neutral fuels. This presentation will also highlight high temperature battery technologies using molten metal anodes funded by ARPA-E.