The Energy Department has launched a funding opportunity worth up to $15M for development work on medium voltage, direct current circuit breakers that will help further protect the U.S. electric grid.
The projects under the Building Reliable Electronics to Achieve Kilovolt Effective Ratings Safely program will involve creating devices that are capable of preventing electrical faults and boosting response times while maximizing renewable resources and electrification of ships and aircraft, the DOE said Wednesday.
“Before it arrives to the consumer, electricity goes through multiple conversion steps, and this infrastructure must be protected by circuit breakers that keep the grid safe from disruptions and failures,†said Energy Deputy Secretary Dan Brouillette.
The DOE added that participants of the BREAKERS initiative are required to program their devices to overcome electrical discharges while handling large amounts of power and voltage.
The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy agency will facilitate the BREAKERS program.Â