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NSF Energy for Sustainability (PD 13-7644) - Frequently Asked Questions

1) What is the NSF Energy for Sustainability program (PD 13-7644)?

The NSF Energy for Sustainability program is a discretionary NSF Engineering funding opportunity that supports fundamental research and education aimed at enabling new, more sustainable ways to produce electricity and transportation fuels.

2) What is the core goal or expectation of projects funded by this program?

The core expectation is that proposed energy production processes are environmentally benign, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and rely on renewable resources.

3) Where does this program sit within NSF (directorate/CFDA)?

The program sits within NSF Engineering and is associated with CFDA 47.041.

4) What kind of work is NSF looking for: fundamental research or near-term product development?

The program emphasizes engineering-science advances and potentially transformative concepts. It is not aimed at incremental development or near-term productization.

5) What are the main technical thrusts supported by this opportunity?

The opportunity highlights four main thrusts: (1) Biomass Conversion, Biofuels and Bioenergy, (2) Photovoltaic Solar Energy, (3) Wind Energy, and (4) Advanced Batteries for Transportation.

6) What topics fall under Biomass Conversion, Biofuels and Bioenergy?

This thrust centers on photosynthetic pathways in plants and algae that convert atmospheric CO2 into energy-rich compounds (such as carbohydrates, lipids, and hydrocarbons) that can be upgraded into fuels.

7) What examples of bioenergy/biofuels research does NSF specifically call out as of interest?

Examples include: fundamental approaches that intensify biofuel and bioenergy processes; biological, thermochemical, or thermocatalytic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into biofuels beyond conventional cellulosic ethanol; microbial fuel cells that directly generate electricity from renewable carbon sources; scalable process-based approaches for biological or biomimetic electricity generation directly from sunlight; hydrogen production using autotrophic or heterotrophic microorganisms; and microbial production of hydrocarbons and lipids from autotrophic or heterotrophic organisms.

8) What does the Photovoltaic Solar Energy thrust focus on?

This thrust focuses on next-generation solar photovoltaic concepts that convert sunlight directly into electricity, supporting fundamental research on innovative fabrication approaches and theory-based characterization methods for future PV devices.

9) What are example research topics in next-generation photovoltaics mentioned in the announcement?

Example topics include: nano-enabled PV architectures using nanostructured semiconductors, plasmonic materials, photonic structures, and conducting polymers; PV device materials that are earth-abundant and environmentally benign; and photocatalytic or photoelectrochemical processes that use light to split water into hydrogen (H2) or reduce CO2 into liquid or gaseous fuels.

10) Is solar thermal energy supported by this program?

No. Solar thermal energy generation is explicitly not supported under this program. The announcement indicates that solar thermal topics would instead be considered by the NSF CBET Thermal Transport Processes program.

11) What does the Wind Energy thrust emphasize?

The wind thrust seeks fundamental engineering research that improves how wind is harnessed for electrical power, with modeling and simulation as supporting elements. The scope is process and system oriented rather than materials science for turbine components.

12) Are fluid mechanics projects appropriate under the Wind Energy thrust?

Projects that include fluid mechanics as part of a broader wind-energy systems approach are described as appropriate for this program.

13) Where should proposals go if they are mainly about developing new computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods?

Projects centered primarily on new computational fluid dynamics method development are directed to the Fluid Dynamics program rather than this wind-energy scope.

14) What does the Advanced Batteries for Transportation thrust aim to achieve?

It targets battery concepts that could substantially improve sustainability in transportation through higher energy density and higher power density.

15) What battery chemistries or directions are mentioned as in-scope examples?

The announcement notes the program is open to radically new battery systems or major breakthroughs built on existing chemistries, including lithium-air, sodium-ion, and lithium-ion systems with new cathode chemistries.

16) Are proposals focused on mature commercial battery systems in scope?

No. Work focused on mature, commercially available battery systems such as lead-acid or nickel-metal hydride is explicitly out of scope.

17) Are fuel cell proposals supported under this program?

The announcement notes that fuel cell proposals previously sent to this program should be redirected to other NSF CBET programs depending on the technical emphasis (for example, electrocatalysis, membranes, or system/process engineering).

18) What is the typical award duration for unsolicited awards?

Unsolicited awards are typically three years in duration.

19) What is the typical award size?

The average annual award size is about $100,000.

20) What happens if a proposal requests substantially more than the typical award amount?

The program cautions that proposals requesting substantially more than the typical amount may be returned without review unless the PI discusses the budget with the Program Director in advance.

21) Are applicants limited to only the listed topic areas?

The program indicates that while the listed interest areas frame current priorities, there is room for innovative proposals outside those specific topics.

22) Should applicants talk with the Program Director before submitting?

Yes. The announcement strongly recommends a pre-submission conversation with the Program Director, including to reduce the risk of an administrative return without review, and especially when proposing work outside the highlighted areas or requesting a substantially larger budget.

23) What does NSF want to see in terms of novelty and transformative potential?

NSF underscores that submissions should clearly articulate novelty and/or potentially transformative potential relative to the state of the art, and explain why the work matters for engineering science (not just application).

24) Where must the transformative or novel aspect be stated at minimum?

At minimum, the transformative or novel aspect must be stated in the Project Summary.

25) Does NSF expect discussion of impacts beyond the technical work?

Yes. The announcement indicates proposals should describe plausible societal and/or industrial impacts if the research succeeds.

26) Are funding decisions based only on reviewer scores?

No. The solicitation reminds applicants that final funding decisions can involve more than reviewer scores, including portfolio balance across subfields, available funds, overlaps with other funding, and NSF-wide priorities and policies.

27) Who is eligible to apply?

The program is described as open to eligible applicants without restriction by entity type, subject to any clarifications in the full text.

28) Is cost sharing required?

No. The announcement states there is no cost sharing requirement.

29) How many awards and how much total funding are anticipated?

The program anticipated around 42 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of about $9.2 million for the referenced cycle.

30) Are there specific submission windows or deadlines?

Yes. Proposal submissions were handled through specific annual windows (for example, January to February dates listed in the notice).

31) What happens if an unsolicited proposal is submitted outside the announced submission window?

The standard NSF rule described in the notice applies: unsolicited proposals submitted outside the announced window would be returned without review.

32) Does the program encourage NSF CAREER proposals?

Yes. The announcement encourages NSF CAREER proposals (typically five years), and references an Engineering CAREER deadline in July.

33) Are conference or workshop proposals allowed under this opportunity?

The announcement notes that proposals for conferences, workshops, supplements, and special mechanisms like RAPID and EAGER may be considered, but that these generally require prior discussion with the Program Director before submission.

34) Are RAPID and EAGER mechanisms possible under this program?

The notice indicates RAPID and EAGER may be considered as special mechanisms, generally requiring prior discussion with the Program Director before submission.

35) What type of renewable-resource and emissions perspective is implied by the program description?

The program description emphasizes energy production processes that rely on renewable resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, with an expectation that processes are environmentally benign.