Bioenergy Technologies Incubator | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), acting for the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), released a funding opportunity called the Bioenergy Technologies Incubator (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000974). The core purpose of this program is to uncover and support early-stage bioenergy ideas that could be genuinely disruptive but are not already being pursued under BETO's existing multi-year strategic plan or current project portfolio. BETO's broader mission is to advance research, development, and demonstration that helps convert renewable biomass into commercially viable, high-performance biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower. This incubator effort is designed to complement that mission by scouting for high-upside concepts that may not fit neatly into existing roadmap categories yet could meaningfully move the field forward.

A key theme of the opportunity is novelty and impact. DOE is explicitly not looking for incremental improvements to established products, processes, or approaches, and it is also not meant to fund work that is already well covered by BETO's strategy or current investments. Instead, the incubator is meant to reduce technical and scale-up risk for breakthrough approaches early enough that, if the concept proves out, it can become a strong candidate for inclusion in future BETO roadmaps and larger programs. In practical terms, applicants need to make a case that their concept fills a gap in the current portfolio and could significantly advance BETO's goals rather than simply polishing an existing pathway.

Projects are expected to be at relatively early Technology Readiness Levels, specifically TRL 2 through TRL 4. That generally means work ranging from a formulated technology concept or application (TRL 2) through laboratory validation of components or breadboards (TRL 4). This framing signals that DOE expects proposals to focus on proving feasibility, validating key technical assumptions, and retiring major uncertainties in a controlled R&D setting, rather than building pilot plants or demonstrating mature systems in real-world operating environments.

DOE anticipates making multiple awards, and the awards will be issued as cooperative agreements, which typically implies substantial federal involvement during the project period compared to a standard grant. The total funding available under the FOA is stated as $10 million. Individual awards are expected to run about 12 to 24 months, with anticipated award sizes ranging from $500,000 to $2,000,000. A cost share requirement applies, set at 20 percent, meaning recipients are expected to contribute a portion of total project costs from non-federal sources. The opportunity is listed under CFDA 81.087 (Renewable Energy Research and Development) and is categorized as discretionary funding within the energy activity area. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity, subject to any additional clarifications in the official FOA text.

The application process runs through the EERE Exchange system (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov), and the notice emphasizes that the system enforces firm submission deadlines: the "Apply" and "Submit" buttons automatically disable at the deadline time. The FOA includes a concept paper stage and a full application stage. The concept paper deadline appears as updated to April 8, 2014 at 5:00 pm Eastern, while full applications were due May 23, 2014 at 5:00 pm Eastern (the original concept paper deadline listed earlier was March 31, 2014 at 5:00 pm Eastern, later revised). Because the system is strict, applicants are encouraged to plan submissions early and contact the Exchange helpdesk immediately if issues arise. For technical problems before the deadline, applicants are directed to email the Exchange helpdesk at exchange@hq.doe.gov. If technical difficulties beyond the applicant's control lead to a late submission, DOE indicates it may accept a late application only if the applicant contacted the helpdesk for assistance and the application is submitted in Exchange within 24 hours after the posted deadline; Exchange administrators may help finalize the submission with the applicant's concurrence.

The agency also scheduled an informational webinar to walk through standard application questions and EERE/FOA procedures. The webinar was set for Monday, March 3, 2014, in the 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Eastern window (with an additional line indicating 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm Eastern), with registration provided via a GoToMeeting link. For FOA-specific inquiries or access issues related to the full announcement, the contact listed is Nicole L. Blackstone and the program email BETOIncubator@go.doe.gov. The issuing agency is identified as the DOE Golden Field Office, and the opportunity was posted February 25, 2014, with an archive date of February 25, 2015.

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