The U.S. Department of Energy is offering $125 million for transformational energy technologies, the latest of its Open 2015 grant programs.
Offered through the Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E), the grant program is open to a broad range of technologies, among them energy storage, combined heat and power, renewables, fuel cells, grid reliability and energy efficiency.
ARPA-E expects to make 30 to 50 awards of anywhere between $1 million and $10 million. Funding will be awarded beginning February 1, 2016, unless negotiated otherwise.
The awards are available to a range of entities — Individuals, project teams, companies, non-profits, educational institutions, consortiums and others.
The DOE says it seeks projects that pursue novel approaches to energy innovation across the full spectrum of energy applications.
Because of the breadth of technologies eligible, the solicitation does not provide well-defined technical targets. Instead, ARPA-E asks applicants to show how the technology will impact the agency’s mission areas to:
- Reduce imported energy
- Reduce energy-related emissions
- Improve energy efficiency
“The critical question for applicants to consider in assessing potential impact is: ‘If it works, will it matter?’,” says the funding opportunity announcement (DE‐FOA‐0001261). “The burden of demonstrating potential impact lies solely upon the applicant, who must make the strongest possible case for why the proposed technology will matter – that it has the potential to change our energy future.
The program encourages applications for ideas that are in various stages –some may still require proof‐of‐concept R&D; others may have already demonstrated some proof‐of‐concept.
This ARPA-E’s third open funding opportunity announcement. ARPA-E also issued an open solicitations in 2009 and 2012. Open solicitations are meant to support transformational projects outside the scope of ARPA-E’s more focused programs.
“OPEN 2015 highlights ARPA-E’s commitment to transformational energy innovations,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “We are excited to announce this open solicitation to support the development of a broad range of disruptive technologies, advancing our all-of-the-above energy strategy to ensure a secure, affordable and sustainable American energy future.”
Important deadlines are: notice of intent, Feb. 20, 2015; concept paper submission: Feb. 27, 2015. ARPA-E has yet to schedule the applications submission deadline.
Solicitation details are on the ARPA-E Funding Opportunity Exchange page. See DE‐FOA‐0001261.
