WASHINGTON - The White House has announced that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science will invest $777 million over the next five years in 46 new Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs). The EFRCs will be established at universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and private firms across the nation, drawing in part on funds provided by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, while also depending on future Congressional appropriations.

Twenty EFRCs will focus on renewable and carbon-neutral energy sources, including solar energy, biofuels, advanced nuclear energy, and geological sequestration of carbon dioxide. Six EFRCs will pursue energy efficiency technologies, including solid-state lighting, superconductivity, and clean and efficient combustion, while another half-dozen EFRCs will focus on energy storage, including electrical energy storage and hydrogen storage. Finally, 14 EFRCs will be dedicated to cross-cutting science, including catalysis and materials that perform in extreme environments. The EFRCs will be located in 36 states, plus the District of Columbia.

Publication date: 06/08/2009