Montgomery County, VA – Virginia Tech was recently awarded a $2.84 million grant from the U.S Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) to develop next-generation power electronics that could make the nation’s electric grid more resilient, efficient, and cost-effective.
This award is part of ARPA-E’s DC-GRIDS initiative, a national effort focused on advancing high-voltage direct current (HVDC) technologies that can modernize how electricity is transmitted across the country. According to the U.S. Department of Energy’s press release “Virginia Tech’s project is one of 12 selected to support the DC-GRIDS program.”
The project highlights the important role Virginia Tech plays in solving some of the nation’s most pressing energy challenges. Researchers at the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering will be focusing on ways to make fusion energy more practical and affordable through computer simulations and laboratory experiments. This research could bring scientists closer to developing a clean, nearly limitless source of energy for the future.
For Virginia’s New River Valley, these awards are more than research grants. It demonstrates why the region continues to be recognized as a hub for innovation, advanced research, and technology development. Discover more about the Information Technology sector in the NRV here.
Read the U.S. Department of Energy’s press release here.
Read the Virgina Tech article here.
Onward NRV: Onward NRV is a public/private, regional economic development organization whose mission is to attract and retain world class jobs, investment, and talent in Virginia’s New River Valley. It’s also a movement where leaders from business, government, and higher education work together to promote the economic vitality of the region.
