Coal To Liquids (CTL) | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

DARPA Strategic Technology Office released the Coal To Liquids (CTL) opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number: DARPA BAA 08 58) to fund research and development aimed at turning US coal resources into practical liquid transportation fuels. The central goal is to support innovative coal-to-liquid conversion approaches that could let the United States extract energy from coal in the form of liquid fuels at a cost that can compete with petroleum-based fuels, while also being environmentally friendly. In other words, DARPA is not looking for incremental studies about coal in general, but for technologies and processes that could materially improve the economics and environmental footprint of CTL so it could serve as a credible liquid-fuel supply option.

A major motivation highlighted in the announcement is national energy security for defense needs. The Department of Defense is described as consuming, on average, more than 300,000 barrels per day of petroleum-based liquid fuels. At the same time, the United States is cited as having roughly 275 billion tons of recoverable coal reserves. The opportunity frames CTL as a pathway that could, in principle, convert domestic coal into a very large quantity of liquid fuel, potentially reducing dependence on conventional petroleum supply chains for military operations and broader national resilience.

Amendment 1 to the BAA updates the narrative in the Program Overview (Section 1.1, paragraph 3) by replacing it with a revised paragraph and an added explanation of the "greater than () thousand year estimate." The amended text reiterates the key figures (DoD average use of over 300,000 barrels per day and over 275 billion tons of estimated coal reserves) and maintains the claim that existing CTL technologies imply DoD liquid-fuel demand could be met for "several thousand years" using US coal reserves. The amendment then clarifies how that multi-thousand-year figure was derived: it is based on a simplified calculation that effectively ignores current domestic (non-DoD) coal use and compares the total potential CTL fuel output from the recoverable reserve base to DoD annual consumption. The rationale also notes a more conservative perspective: even if DoD used only 10 percent of the coal-to-liquid fuel that could be produced from the reserves, it would still amount to more than a hundred years of supply, which DARPA characterizes as significant.

From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary research funding opportunity under CFDA 12.910 (Research and Technology Development). The solicitation lists multiple possible award instruments, including cooperative agreements, grants, other transaction/procurement contract mechanisms, indicating DARPA intended flexibility in how projects could be structured and managed depending on the work proposed. Cost sharing or matching is not required. The opportunity was posted September 23, 2008, with an original closing date of September 4, 2009, later extended to a current closing date of January 8, 2010, and an archive date of January 9, 2010. Award floor and ceiling amounts are listed as 0, which typically means the funding range is not specified in the summary metadata and would be determined based on proposal merit, scope, and available funds. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), subject to any additional eligibility details contained in the full announcement.

Overall, the CTL solicitation can be read as DARPA testing whether advanced science and engineering could make coal-to-liquid fuel production cleaner and cheaper while meeting performance needs relevant to defense logistics. The emphasis is on proposals that move beyond conventional approaches by improving conversion efficiency, reducing environmental impacts, and driving down the total cost of producing drop-in or mission-relevant liquid fuels that can compete with petroleum-derived products. For full requirements, submission instructions, and any technical focus areas beyond the summary, the notice points applicants to the complete DARPA BAA 08 58 announcement (originally posted via FedBizOpps) and provides a BAA coordinator contact for access issues.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: DARPA Strategic Technology Office

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Next opportunity: ROSES 2008 Astrobiology Science and Technology Instrument Development, including Concept Studies for Astrobiology Small Payloads and Satellites

Previous opportunity: CAST (Catch a Special Thrill) for Kids Foundation, Inc

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for DARPA BAA 08 58

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (DARPA BAA 08 58) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "DARPA BAA 08 58", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.