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ARPA-E and NEDO Workshop on Sharing Knowledge and Discussing Future Collaboration

August 16, 2023

On Wednesday, July 12th, 2023, NEDO, together with the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), held the ARPA-E and NEDO Workshop on Sharing Knowledge and Discussing Future Collaboration in Washington D.C. In this workshop, after both sides shared overviews of their respective approaches to carbon neutrality, opinions were exchanged on strategies, business details, and common priority issues in technology fields. In addition, through direct exchanges with Program Directors, who drive the agency’s technical initiatives, both sides explored future areas of collaboration between Japan and the United States. ARPA-E Director Wang and TSC Director Kishimoto also held a dialogue to discuss the prospects of the supply chain and the role of funding agencies for carbon neutrality.

The details are as follows:

1. Seminar details

Date/time:
July 12, 2023 (Wed) 10:00–16:30 (EST)
Venue:
ARPA-E office (Washington D.C.)
Hosted by:
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E)
New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO)

2. Report on ARPA-E and NEDO Workshop on Sharing Knowledge and Discussing Future Collaboration

  • Photo of Dr. Kikuo Kishimoto making a presentation at the opening session.
    Dr. Kikuo Kishimoto, Executive Director for the Technology Strategy Center (TSC) of NEDO made a presentation at the opening session.
  • Photo of Dr. Evelyn N. Wang and Dr. Kikuo Kishimoto
    Dialogue between Dr. Evelyn N. Wang, ARPA-E Director and Dr. Kikuo Kishimoto, Executive Director for the Technology Strategy Center (TSC) of NEDO.
Opening session Points of discussion and collaborative items by field
ARPA-E: Dr. Evelyn N. Wang, ARPA-E Director
  • ・Introduced ARPA-E’s mission and initiatives
NEDO: Dr. Kikuo Kishimoto, Executive Director for the Technology Strategy Center (TSC)
  • ・Gave an overview of NEDO and introduced the TSC’s initiatives
  • ・Introduced initiatives in the USA, including demonstration cases overseas and startup support projects
General session
ARPA-E: Dr. Laurent Pilon, Program Director
  • ・Explained renewable energy, power systems, and batteries in the USA
NEDO: Dr. Shigeru Niki, Director General of Sustainable Energy Unit
  • ・Explained strategies for sustainable energy in Japan
NEDO: Tsutomu Nakamura, Director General of Environment and Green Chemistry Unit
  • ・Explained industrial decarbonization in Japan
ARPA-E: Dr. Jenifer Shafer, Program Director
  • ・Explained industrial decarbonization in the USA
ARPA-E: Dr. Isik Kizilyalli, Associate Director for Technology & Program Director
  • ・Explained power electronics in the USA
NEDO: Dr. Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Director General of Digital Innovation Unit
  • ・Explained power electronics in Japan
NEDO: Wataru Mizunashi, Director General of Biotechnology Unit
  • ・Explained blue carbon in Japan
ARPA-E: Dr. Simon Freeman, Program Director
  • ・Explained blue carbon & the economy in the USA
Dialogue
Dialogue between Dr. Wang and Dr. Kishimoto
  • ・Focused on Supply Chain Future Prospects, Achieving Carbon Neutrality and the Role of Funding Agencies and Possibility of Collaboration with ARPA-E.
Session 1. Renewable Energy, Power Systems, and    Batteries Including Energy Storage
ARPA-E: Dr. Laurent Pilon, Program Director (Lead) and another person
  • ・Both explained ongoing programs / projects.
  • ・The discussion was focused on grid management and long-duration energy storage in preparation for the expansion of renewable energy introduction. Both agreed to continue discussing the ways to solve common issues of grid congestion management (including locational marginal pricing) and long-duration energy storage in these two fields.
NEDO: Dr. Shigeru Niki, Director General of Sustainable Energy Unit (Lead) and another person
Session 2. Industrial Decarbonization
ARPA-E: Dr. Jenifer Shafer, Program Director (Lead) and another person
  • ・Agreed to collaborate on accounting methods
  • ・Agreed to explore potential for collaboration on CCS demonstration projects.
  • ・Agreed to regularly share information on the status of early-stage technology deliberations. This includes holding information workshops and consideration of participation.
NEDO: Tsutomu Nakamura, Director General of Environment and Green Chemistry Unit (Lead) and another person
Session 3. Power Electronics for Resilient Power Grid
ARPA-E: Dr. Isik Kizilyalli, Associate Director for Technology & Program Director
  • ・Agreed to continue to exchange opinions on DC interconnection, DC circuit breakers, which are closely related to issues on the Japanese side.
NEDO: Dr. Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Director General of Digital Innovation Unit
Session 4. Blue Carbon
ARPA-E: Dr. Simon Freeman, Program Director
  • ・Set up a forum for discussion among project participants on methods for measuring and evaluating CO2 fixation
  • ・Set up a forum for discussion among project implementers on how to cultivate macroalgae throughout the year
  • ・The Japanese side is considering how to dispose of the residue, and plans to exchange opinions.
  • ・Introduced Japanese researchers and a plan to match them
NEDO: Wataru Mizunashi, Director General of Biotechnology Unit
Closing Session
NEDO: Takashi Wada, Executive Director for foreign affairs
  • ・Expressed his gratitude for holding the workshop and remarked on the importance of continuing discussions between ARPA-E and NEDO.
ARPA-E: Shane Kosinski, Deputy Director for Operations
  • ・Expressed his opinion that NEDO and ARPA-E have very similar missions and that if we can act together, we can create a greater impact.

3. Overall review

In the morning session, ARPA-E Director Wang gave an overview of ARPA-E and introduced examples of ongoing projects and talked about the importance of increasing collaborative projects with allied and friendly countries. Executive Director Kishimoto similarly introduced projects at NEDO and the TSC, and the Washington and Silicon Valley office heads introduced international demonstration projects being implemented at NEDO. Additionally, an overview of ARPA-E and NEDO’s initiatives for each of the four fields related to carbon neutrality (renewable energy, industrial decarbonization, power electronics, and blue carbon) was presented.
In the afternoon session, participants were divided into four groups, each relating to one of the four aforementioned technology fields. Participants discussed their understanding of each other’s efforts and the possibility of collaboration. Specific proposals for points of cooperation were presented in each field, and it was a continuation of the opinion exchange meetings held with ARPA-E in the past.
In addition to following up on this initiative, NEDO would like to continue these exchanges and advance discussions on areas of collaboration between Japan and the United States.

4. For more information

Global Technology Research Unit, Technology Strategy Center Contact Persons： Tokuhiro, Sato, Suzuki
E-mail tsc-global-unit@ml.nedo.go.jp