Explaining ARPA-E & “Inventing the Future”

April 26th, 2012 by Zachary Shahan

We’ve written about ARPA-E projects many times here on CleanTechnica — it’s into some of the key things we’re all about. So, there’s no passing up this cool video above on ARPA-E, some of the projects its funding, and one of Obama’s favorite terms — inventing the future.

As you can see, the video features Arun Majumdar, director of ARPA-E; wind energy startup Makani power; and a seaweed (kelp) to fuel project from the Bio Architecture Lab (BAL). Of course, there are soooo many more projects under the ARPA-E umbrella — take a stroll through our ARPA-E articles for a look at more of them.

As a reminder, ARPA-E is modeled after the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is most well known for bringing us the internet and GPS (as noted in the video).

The video, “The Energy Fixers,” is a collaboration between GE’s Ecomagination and VICE’s Motherboard.

h/t TreeHugger

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Tags: ARPA-E, BAL, Bio Architecture Lab, DOE, Makani, Makani Power, quickies

About the Author

Zachary Shahan spends most of his time here on CleanTechnica as the director/chief editor. Otherwise, he's probably enthusiastically fulfilling his duties as the director/editor of Solar Love, EV Obsession, Planetsave, or Bikocity. Zach is recognized globally as a solar energy, electric car, and wind energy expert. If you would like him to speak at a related conference or event, connect with him via social media. You can connect with Zach on any popular social networking site you like. Links to all of his main social media profiles are on ZacharyShahan.com.

http://www.FuturaSolar.com/ Patrick

Futura Solar has made an “Unsolicited Proposal” for a system to ‘solarize’ low-profile commercial buildings, based in part on DOE’s previous efforts in the same direction. During the Bush administration, DOE sponsored a Cambar system in Chattanooga, Tenn. that used ‘sawtooth roofing’ with SWH added.

Futura Solar, along with DCM-A&E of NJ, is offering a multiple solar benefit roofing system with several more benefits that the Cambar system. Given the square mileage of flat roof buildings in the country, that would have a significant impact, even if limited by new building and re-roofing.