Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001545
Apply for DE FOA 0001545
- The DOE-GFO in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DE-FOA-0001545 Request for Information: Challenges and Opportunities for Non-Powered Dam and Pumped Storage Hydropower Development in the U.S." and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 24, 2016 and posted on Feb 24, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 18, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Opportunity Summary:
DE-FOA-0001545 is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Hydropower Program Request for Information (RFI) focused on the real-world challenges and opportunities involved in developing two specific hydropower pathways in the United States: adding generation to existing non-powered dams (dams that currently provide services like flood control, navigation, irrigation, or water supply but do not produce electricity) and advancing pumped storage hydropower (grid-scale energy storage that moves water between reservoirs to store and generate electricity). The intent is to collect practical, experience-based input from a broad range of stakeholders, including industry, universities, national labs, government agencies, and others with relevant expertise, so DOE can better understand what is slowing deployment, what could accelerate it, and where research, development, or policy attention might have the biggest impact.
The core purpose of the RFI is information gathering, not funding. DOE explicitly states this is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), meaning no grant applications are being accepted under this notice. Instead, EERE is seeking feedback on key topics such as development barriers (for example, permitting complexity, environmental review requirements, interconnection hurdles, site constraints, and project financing), market variability (including how changing electricity market conditions, price volatility, ancillary service needs, and increasing variable renewable generation affect project economics and operational value), and the role of technology (how equipment design, modularity, construction methods, environmental mitigation technologies, and operational strategies can influence feasibility, cost, and deployment timelines). In other words, DOE is trying to map the gap between technical potential and what actually gets built, and to understand how market rules and technology choices shape that outcome.
DOE also signals that this RFI is part of a broader engagement process. As a follow-on, the Hydropower Program intends to convene a public workshop where the RFI questions will be circulated and discussed with attendees. That workshop is positioned as a venue to validate themes emerging from written responses, surface disagreements or regional differences, and dig deeper into actionable ideas. Details were to be provided later through a separate public notice.
A key takeaway is that while DOE may use the input to shape a future FOA, there is no commitment that funding will follow. The agency notes it may issue a FOA in the future based on (or related to) the responses, but it may also choose not to issue any FOA at all. DOE further emphasizes that submitting a response to this RFI does not create any advantage or disadvantage for any organization if a later competition is announced; it is meant to encourage candid participation without strategic concern that participation affects later eligibility or scoring.
From the posted opportunity metadata, this notice is categorized under discretionary energy funding and lists “cooperative agreement†as the associated instrument type, but in practice the document is an RFI rather than an application-ready grant competition. The listing shows unrestricted eligibility (open to any type of entity, subject to clarifications in the full text), and it reports zero expected awards, reinforcing that DOE is not planning to make awards under this notice. The RFI was posted February 24, 2016, with a response deadline of March 18, 2016. The full RFI content and submission instructions were made available through the EERE Exchange portal (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/), which DOE uses for public solicitations and response collection.
Overall, the opportunity is best understood as a chance to influence DOE’s hydropower agenda rather than a chance to receive immediate funding. Organizations with hands-on experience in hydropower development, pumped storage project planning, grid integration, environmental compliance, equipment manufacturing, or market participation could use the RFI to highlight specific bottlenecks (cost drivers, regulatory friction points, data gaps, technology needs, or market design issues) and propose solutions or research directions that DOE could later translate into programs, workshops, guidance, or a future funding announcement.
FAQs: DOE EERE Hydropower Program RFI (DE-FOA-0001545)
What is DE-FOA-0001545?
DE-FOA-0001545 is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Hydropower Program Request for Information (RFI). It asks stakeholders to provide practical, experience-based input on real-world challenges and opportunities for specific hydropower development pathways in the United States.
Is this a grant or funding opportunity I can apply to?
No. DOE states this is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). It is an information-gathering RFI, and DOE is not accepting grant applications under this notice.
Will DOE make awards under this notice?
No. The opportunity metadata indicates zero expected awards, consistent with the RFI purpose (collecting input rather than making funding awards).
What is the purpose of this RFI?
The purpose is to collect input from a broad range of stakeholders so DOE can better understand what is slowing hydropower deployment, what could accelerate it, and where research, development, or policy attention could have the biggest impact.
What hydropower pathways does the RFI focus on?
The RFI focuses on two pathways in the United States:
- Adding generation to existing non-powered dams (dams that already provide services such as flood control, navigation, irrigation, or water supply but do not currently generate electricity).
- Advancing pumped storage hydropower (grid-scale energy storage that moves water between reservoirs to store energy and generate electricity).
Who is DOE trying to hear from?
DOE is seeking input from a broad set of stakeholders, including (but not limited to) industry, universities, national laboratories, government agencies, and others with relevant expertise and hands-on experience.
What kinds of issues is DOE asking about?
Based on the notice description, DOE is asking for feedback on topics including:
- Development barriers such as permitting complexity, environmental review requirements, interconnection hurdles, site constraints, and project financing.
- Market variability including changing electricity market conditions, price volatility, ancillary service needs, and the effects of increasing variable renewable generation on project economics and operational value.
- Technology factors such as equipment design, modularity, construction methods, environmental mitigation technologies, and operational strategies that influence feasibility, cost, and deployment timelines.
Why is DOE conducting this RFI now (as described in the notice)?
The RFI is described as an effort to map the gap between technical potential and what actually gets built, and to understand how market rules and technology choices affect project outcomes in the real world.
Does responding to the RFI affect eligibility or scoring for any future funding opportunity?
DOE emphasizes that submitting a response to this RFI does not create an advantage or disadvantage for any organization if a later competition is announced. The intent is to encourage candid participation without concern that participation affects later eligibility or evaluation.
Will DOE issue a future FOA based on this RFI?
DOE indicates it may use input from the RFI to shape a future FOA, but there is no commitment that funding will follow. DOE may issue a related FOA in the future, or it may choose not to issue any FOA at all.
Is there a workshop associated with this RFI?
Yes. DOE signals this RFI is part of a broader engagement process and that the Hydropower Program intends to convene a public workshop to circulate and discuss the RFI questions with attendees. Details were to be provided later through a separate public notice.
What is the workshop expected to accomplish?
As described, the workshop is positioned to validate themes emerging from written responses, surface disagreements or regional differences, and dig deeper into actionable ideas.
What are examples of barriers DOE wants to understand?
The notice examples include permitting complexity, environmental review requirements, interconnection hurdles, site constraints, and project financing challenges.
What market-related topics are specifically mentioned?
The notice specifically mentions changing electricity market conditions, price volatility, ancillary service needs, and the impacts of increasing variable renewable generation on economics and operational value.
What technology-related topics are specifically mentioned?
The notice mentions equipment design, modularity, construction methods, environmental mitigation technologies, and operational strategies that can influence feasibility, cost, and deployment timelines.
What is a non-powered dam in the context of this RFI?
In this notice, a non-powered dam is a dam that currently provides services like flood control, navigation, irrigation, or water supply, but does not produce electricity. The RFI explores adding generation at these existing facilities.
What is pumped storage hydropower in the context of this RFI?
In this notice, pumped storage hydropower is described as grid-scale energy storage that moves water between reservoirs to store energy and generate electricity. The RFI seeks input on advancing this pathway.
What is the main benefit of participating if there is no immediate funding?
The notice frames participation as a chance to influence DOE's hydropower agenda by identifying bottlenecks, cost drivers, regulatory friction points, data gaps, technology needs, and market design issues, along with proposing solutions or research directions.
Where were the full RFI and submission instructions provided?
The full RFI content and submission instructions were made available through the EERE Exchange portal at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.
When was this RFI posted, and what was the response deadline?
The notice was posted on February 24, 2016, and the response deadline was March 18, 2016.
What does the listing metadata say about eligibility?
The posted opportunity metadata indicates unrestricted eligibility (open to any type of entity), subject to any clarifications in the full text.
Why does the listing mention "cooperative agreement" if this is an RFI?
The metadata lists "cooperative agreement" as an associated instrument type, but the notice itself is described as an RFI rather than an application-ready grant competition. The practical takeaway in the notice is that DOE is gathering information and not making awards under this posting.
What types of experience would be most relevant for respondents?
The notice suggests organizations with hands-on experience in hydropower development, pumped storage project planning, grid integration, environmental compliance, equipment manufacturing, or market participation could provide especially useful input.
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