The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (Arpa-E) was founded back in 2009 as part of President Obama's economic recovery plan. So-called "moonshot projects" are often too risky for private investors, but this state-run initiative may have unlocked a new technology that others, from Elon Musk to Bill Gates, have been chasing after for years.

“I think we have reached some holy grails in batteries – just in the sense of demonstrating that we can create a totally new approach to battery technology, make it work, make it commercially viable, and get it out there to let it do its thing,” said Ellen Williams, Arpa-E’s director.

The projects that Arpa-E has developed involve faster superconductors and new materials besides lithium-ion. Williams said that their projects could transform utility scale storage.

For the US to switch from a fossil-fuel economy to one based on renewable energy sources like solar and wind, it's essential to create more efficient large-scale energy storage systems. While few details were released about Arpa-E's new technology, the agency said that they have the potential to transform the American electric grid within the next five to ten years.

Following the historic Paris climate summit, the US energy secretary expressed hopes to expand Arpa-E.

For related articles about American infrastructure, check out these links:

• Dispatch from Flint: How architects can help, on Archinect Sessions #54
• Reinstating "awe" in America's infrastructure
• America has an infrastructure problem – and it's getting critical
• The crisis in Flint and why architects should care about decentralizing our water systems