What energy innovations will lead the way in 2012?

Among the startups vying to earn the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) title of “America’s Next Top Energy Innovator” are a firm looking to double the energy capacity of rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, a business that’s developing “smart boxes” for electronic cargo tracking and a company working on a window material that can reflect sunlight on demand to keep buildings cool.

In all, three dozen companies are competing in the first-of-its-kind challenge by the DOE. Members of the public will be able to vote for their favorites starting in mid-January, and — following an expert review — the top innovators will be named at next year’s ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit.

For now, the Energy Department is offering a sneak preview at five of the would-be top innovators. They include:

• Maryland-based Vorbeck Materials, which is using a method developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory to create a material that could help lithium-ion batteries store twice as much electricity at high charge and discharge rates as current technology. The innovation could also increase battery capacities and life cycles.
• TrakLok, a Tennessee company that’s using GPS technology and satellite communications as part of its tracking and warning capability and international container locking technology. The innovation, first developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, could help to protect against container tampering, theft, vandalism and smuggling.
• Iowa-based IPAT, which is working on gas atomization technology for lower-cost, more efficient titanium powder-making. Developed at Ames Laboratory, the improved method could be used to create components for artificial limbs, biomedical implants, aerospace fasteners and other equipment. Improving ways to work with titanium powder is important because liquid titanium tends to react with the materials used to form molds.
• e-Chromic of Boulder, Colorado, which is working with electrochromic technology developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to create a new thi- film window material that reflects sunlight on demand.
• Oregon-based Umpqua Energy, which is developing a system that lets a gasoline engine operate in an “extreme lean burn mode” for improved gas mileage. The technology was first developed at Argonne National Laboratory.