On June 13, 2016, through the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN), the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that eight small businesses will be provided up to $2 million for the Nuclear Energy Voucher pilot program. The goal of the program is to assist new entrants into the nuclear field as they build the collaborations necessary to accelerate the development and deployment of innovative nuclear technologies by granting them access to the extensive nuclear research capabilities available at DOE’s national laboratories and Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) partners.
“We congratulate these small businesses selected for the NE Voucher pilot program, and we look forward to working with each of these organizations as they develop their innovative concepts,” said John Kotek, DOE Acting Assistant Secretary for Nuclear Energy. “In addition to this financial support, DOE will be fostering innovation by facilitating these groups’ access to the extensive nuclear research capabilities hosted at DOE National Labs and our partners in the Nuclear Science User Facilities program.”
The mission of GAIN is to provide the nuclear community with access to the technical, regulatory, and financial support necessary to move innovative nuclear energy technologies toward commercialization while ensuring the continued safe, reliable, and economic operation of the existing nuclear fleet.
“I am excited to begin working with each of the recipients,” said Dr. Kemal Pasamehmetoglu, Director of the GAIN initiative and Associate Lab Director for Nuclear Science & Technology at Idaho National Laboratory. “Along with our partner labs, we have the facilities and capabilities needed to help make their advanced nuclear technology concepts a reality. I was impressed with the number and quality of applications and the interest in developing innovative nuclear technologies. The urgency and stakeholder support for these innovations has never been stronger.”
The small businesses selected for vouchers are:
GAIN Nuclear Energy
Voucher recipients | Proposal | Partner Facility |
Creare LLC Hanover, NH | Investigation of Materials for Continuous Casting of Metallic Nuclear Fuel | Idaho National Laboratory |
Columbia Basin Consulting Group, LLC Kennewick, WA | Lead-Bismuth Small Modular Reactor (SMR) Licensing Development | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory |
Terrestrial Energy USA Ltd. New York, NY | Verification of Molten-Salt Properties at High Temperatures | Argonne National Laboratory |
Transatomic Power Corporation Cambridge, MA | Optimization and Assessment of the Neutronics and Fuel Cycle Performance of the Transatomic Power Molten Salt Reactor Design | Oak Ridge National Laboratory |
Ceramic Tubular Products Rockville, MD | Robust Silicon Carbide Cladding for LWR Application - Corrosion and Irradiation Proof Test of Low Cost Innovations in MIT Research Reactor | Massachusetts Institute
of Technology |
Oklo Inc. Sunnyvale, CA | Legacy Metal Fuel Data Exploration for Commercial Scale-Up | Argonne National Laboratory/Idaho National Laboratory |
CompRex, LLC De Pere, WI | High Efficiency Heat Exchanger for High Temperature and High Pressure Applications | Argonne National Laboratory |
BgtL LLC Laramie, WY | High efficiency and low cost thermal energy storage system | Argonne National Laboratory |
INL is one of the DOE’s national laboratories. The laboratory performs work in each of DOE’s strategic goal areas: energy, national security, science and environment. INL is the nation’s leading center for nuclear energy research and development. Day-to-day management and operation of the laboratory is the responsibility of Battelle Energy Alliance.
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