ARPA-E Survives Budget Battle

ARPA-E has survived the budget battle. The high-tech federal research agency will get $130 million for five new program areas. The programs focus on rare-earth alternatives, biofuels, thermal storage, grid controls and solar power electronics. The funding comes from this month's federal budget deal, just two months after ARPA-E said six of its projects secured more than $100 million in outside private capital investment. That's a sign that the business community wants to invest in solutions to the country's energy challenges.