Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000214
Apply for DE FOA 0000214
- The Chicago Service Center in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Energy Innovation Fuels from Sunlight" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.049 Office of Science Financial Assistance Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Dec 22, 2009 and posted on Dec 22, 2009.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 29, 2010 NOTE You are encouraged to transmit your application well before the deadline. The Grants.gov Helpdesk is not available after 900 PM Eastern Time. APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER THE DEADLINE WILL NOT BE REVIEWED OR CONSIDERED FOR AWARD.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $122,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $122,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
- 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.
- All types of domestic entities (defined as any entity incorporated in the United States and having a substantial U.S. presence, as evidenced by having a significant business center and/or significant employment in the U.S.), including DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) contractors, are eligible to apply as prime applicants, with the exception of other Federal agencies, non DOE/NNSA FFRDC contractors, and nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995. DOE may also consider making an award to a consortium, under a TIA award. See 10 CFR 603.210, 603.225(b), and 603.515. See Section III.C of the FOA for cost sharing requirements.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Energy Innovation - Fuels from Sunlight opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000214) is a Department of Energy Office of Science funding announcement to establish a single, world-leading Energy Innovation Hub focused on developing "fuels from sunlight." The concept behind these Hubs is to tackle major energy and climate challenges that have not been solved well through traditional, more fragmented research programs. DOE is using a management and collaboration model similar to its Bioenergy Research Centers, where large, tightly coordinated teams work toward ambitious technical goals with a strong emphasis on integration, shared facilities, and unified leadership rather than isolated projects.
At its core, the Fuels from Sunlight Hub is meant to accelerate the science and engineering needed to turn sunlight into energy-rich chemical fuels using abundant inputs like water and carbon dioxide, taking inspiration from how nature performs photosynthesis. The program points out that essentially all fuels used today, whether fossil-based or derived from biomass, trace back to solar energy captured over time, and it positions direct solar-to-fuels pathways as a transformative route that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen long-term energy security. The Hub structure is intended to push solutions toward their fundamental performance limits and to focus research on the key barriers that prevent promising concepts from becoming practical materials, devices, and systems that could eventually be deployed at commercial scale.
DOE expects the Hub to be highly multidisciplinary and intentionally organized to bridge gaps between discovery science and deployable technology. Applicants are expected to assemble a deeply collaborative team that can span scientific and engineering disciplines, and where relevant include expertise in economics and public policy. The intent is to bring together top performers across universities, private industry, nonprofit organizations, and DOE National Laboratories, creating a single center capable of sustained, coordinated progress. The ultimate outcome DOE is targeting is to advance this area of energy science and technology to a point where technical and scale-up risk is low enough that industry can take solutions to market.
This particular opportunity is a discretionary financial assistance award using a cooperative agreement, meaning DOE anticipates substantial involvement during the project in ways typical of cooperative agreements (for example, active coordination, oversight, and collaboration with the awardee). The announcement lists one expected award with an estimated total funding level of $122,000,000, and an award ceiling of $122,000,000, signaling that this is intended to fund one major Hub rather than multiple smaller awards. No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated in the summary fields provided, though the full FOA text is noted as the controlling source for any detailed requirements.
Eligibility is broadly open to domestic entities, defined as organizations incorporated in the United States with a substantial U.S. presence (such as significant operations and/or employment in the U.S.). Eligible prime applicants include universities, companies, nonprofits, and DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) contractors, with explicit exclusions including other federal agencies, non-DOE/NNSA FFRDC contractors, and certain 501(c)(4) nonprofits that have engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995. DOE also notes it may consider making an award to a consortium under a Technology Investment Agreement (TIA), referencing relevant sections of 10 CFR Part 603.
Key administrative details include a posting date of December 22, 2009, and an application deadline (original and current closing date) of March 29, 2010, with a strong warning that late applications will not be reviewed or considered for award. Applicants are encouraged to submit well before the deadline, especially given Grants.gov Helpdesk hours. The opportunity is associated with CFDA 81.049 (Office of Science Financial Assistance Program). The announcement is tied to DOE's Chicago Service Center, and an additional information link is provided through FedConnect. For access issues with the full announcement, the listed contact is Marlene E. Martinez (630-252-2080, marlene.martinez@ch.doe.gov).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Energy Innovation - Fuels from Sunlight funding opportunity?
It is a Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science funding announcement to establish a single Energy Innovation Hub focused on developing "fuels from sunlight." The Funding Opportunity Number (FOA) is DE-FOA-0000214.
What is an Energy Innovation Hub in this context?
The Hub concept is designed to tackle major energy and climate challenges that have not been solved well through traditional, more fragmented research programs. The model emphasizes large, tightly coordinated teams working toward ambitious technical goals with integration, shared facilities, and unified leadership rather than isolated projects.
How is this Hub expected to operate compared to traditional research awards?
DOE describes a management and collaboration model similar to its Bioenergy Research Centers, where work is organized as a coordinated center with strong integration and shared resources, instead of separate, loosely connected projects.
What does "fuels from sunlight" mean in this FOA?
It refers to accelerating the science and engineering needed to turn sunlight into energy-rich chemical fuels using abundant inputs like water and carbon dioxide, drawing inspiration from how nature performs photosynthesis.
Why is DOE prioritizing direct solar-to-fuels pathways?
The FOA notes that essentially all fuels used today (fossil-based or derived from biomass) trace back to solar energy captured over time. It positions direct solar-to-fuels approaches as potentially transformative for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening long-term energy security.
What kinds of outcomes is DOE aiming for with this Hub?
The targeted outcome is to advance the relevant energy science and technology to a point where technical and scale-up risk is low enough that industry can take solutions to market.
Is the Hub expected to focus only on basic science, or also on technology development?
The Hub is intended to bridge discovery science and deployable technology, pushing solutions toward fundamental performance limits while focusing on key barriers that prevent promising concepts from becoming practical materials, devices, and systems that could eventually be deployed at commercial scale.
How many awards does DOE expect to make under this announcement?
DOE expects to make one award, indicating the intent to fund a single major Hub rather than multiple smaller awards.
What is the total estimated funding amount?
The estimated total funding level is $122,000,000.
What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount?
The award ceiling is $122,000,000.
What type of funding instrument will be used?
This opportunity is a discretionary financial assistance award using a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?
DOE anticipates substantial involvement during the project, including active coordination, oversight, and collaboration with the awardee in ways typical of cooperative agreements.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated in the summary fields provided. However, the full FOA text is noted as the controlling source for detailed requirements.
Who is eligible to apply as the prime applicant?
Eligible prime applicants include domestic entities such as universities, companies, nonprofit organizations, and DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) contractors, as described in the announcement.
What does DOE mean by "domestic entities"?
Domestic entities are organizations incorporated in the United States with a substantial U.S. presence (for example, significant operations and/or employment in the U.S.).
Who is not eligible to apply?
The announcement explicitly excludes other federal agencies, non-DOE/NNSA FFRDC contractors, and certain 501(c)(4) nonprofits that have engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995.
Are collaborations or multi-organization teams expected?
Yes. DOE expects the Hub to be highly multidisciplinary and intentionally organized to bridge gaps between discovery science and deployable technology. Applicants are expected to assemble a deeply collaborative team, potentially spanning universities, private industry, nonprofit organizations, and DOE National Laboratories.
Does DOE expect disciplines beyond science and engineering to be included?
Where relevant, the FOA notes that applicants may include expertise in economics and public policy.
Can the award be made to a consortium?
DOE notes it may consider making an award to a consortium under a Technology Investment Agreement (TIA), referencing relevant sections of 10 CFR Part 603.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with CFDA 81.049 (Office of Science Financial Assistance Program).
When was this FOA posted?
The posting date listed is December 22, 2009.
What is the application deadline?
The application deadline (original and current closing date) is March 29, 2010.
Will late applications be considered?
No. The announcement includes a strong warning that late applications will not be reviewed or considered for award.
Does DOE recommend submitting early?
Yes. Applicants are encouraged to submit well before the deadline, especially considering Grants.gov Helpdesk hours.
Which DOE office or service center is tied to this announcement?
The announcement is tied to DOE's Chicago Service Center.
Where can applicants find additional information about the opportunity?
An additional information link is provided through FedConnect, according to the opportunity description.
Who can be contacted for access issues with the full announcement?
The listed contact is Marlene E. Martinez at 630-252-2080 or marlene.martinez@ch.doe.gov.
What is the overall purpose of organizing this effort as a single Hub?
DOE frames the Hub approach as a way to sustain coordinated progress by uniting top performers across institutions into one center with unified leadership, integrated research, and shared facilities, aimed at overcoming key barriers and reducing risk to enable eventual commercialization.
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