The U.S. Energy Department announced $98 million in funding for 40 new projects as part of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy’s open funding opportunity to spur innovative technologies that can transform the energy system, according to a Nov. 15 press release. The projects, located in 21 states, cover a broad range of technologies in multiple areas including transportation, electricity generation and delivery, and energy efficiency. About 43 percent of the projects will be led by universities, 35 percent by small businesses, and the remainder by large businesses, non-profits, or federally-funded research centers. On Nov. 14, the agency also announced up to $7.5 million — funded through the Office of Electricity — for novel transformer designs that allow for more flexibility and enhance the resiliency of the grid. The agency said that many large transformers are nearing or surpassing their design lives, opening an opportunity for technologies that can add new capabilities to the grid and boost domestic manufacturing.