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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the Engineered High Energy Crops opportunity (DE-FOA-0000908)?

The Engineered High Energy Crops opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000908) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) discretionary research and development grant/cooperative agreement concept focused on advancing engineered, dedicated energy crops toward real-world deployment, with a clear emphasis on field trials.

Which federal agency is associated with this opportunity?

This opportunity is associated with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). The description also references priorities and missions connected to DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), specifically the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO), and it ties the technical direction to ARPA-E goals.

What is the main goal of the program?

The main goal is to support engineered or biologically optimized energy crops that can capture more energy per acre than conventional biomass crops and produce fuel-relevant molecules that can be used with minimal additional processing. The intent is to reduce conversion complexity and cost so biofuels can compete more effectively with petroleum-based fuels.

What kinds of crops or plant improvements are being targeted?

The program concept targets crops that are genetically engineered or otherwise biologically optimized. The vision includes plants designed to produce not only more biomass, but also more useful energy-dense compounds or easier-to-upgrade intermediates directly in the plant (in planta).

Why is DOE interested in "fuel-relevant molecules" produced directly by plants?

Because producing fuel-relevant molecules in planta can improve energy capture at the agricultural stage and potentially simplify, reduce, or bypass downstream processing steps that typically add cost and energy use in biofuel production.

How does the opportunity relate to existing fuel infrastructure?

DOE is looking for approaches that make plant-derived fuels more directly compatible with existing fuel infrastructure such as refineries, pipelines, and vehicles. The underlying goal is improved compatibility and reduced need for complex conversion processes.

Is this opportunity limited to a specific research program like ARPA-E PETRO?

No. The description points to ARPA-E's PETRO program as an example of the broader class of projects of interest (for instance, crops engineered to produce hydrocarbon-like molecules or other fuel-ready compounds). However, it also indicates the scope is not limited strictly to PETRO as long as the objective is similar: increased energy capture and improved fuel compatibility.

What DOE priorities does this opportunity support?

The opportunity is framed as supporting DOE-wide objectives related to U.S. energy security, reliability, affordability, and clean energy. It also emphasizes maintaining U.S. technological leadership through science and technology.

How does this align with EERE and BETO?

It aligns with the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) mission within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), which focuses on converting renewable biomass into commercially viable, higher-performance biofuels and strengthening the domestic bioenergy industry.

How does this opportunity connect to the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007?

The description ties the work to renewable fuel goals under the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007, in the context of strengthening the domestic bioenergy industry and supporting commercially viable biofuels.

How does this connect to ARPA-E goals?

The opportunity description ties the work to ARPA-E goals such as advancing high-impact energy technologies that reduce reliance on imported oil, cut energy-related emissions, and maintain U.S. leadership in advanced energy technology development and deployment.

What is the CFDA number and program category listed for this opportunity?

The listing indicates a science and technology / R&D activity category under CFDA 81.087 (Renewable Energy Research and Development).

Is cost sharing or matching required?

No. The listing states there is no cost-sharing or matching requirement.

Who is eligible to apply?

The listing states eligibility as "unrestricted," meaning any applicant type could potentially apply, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full text of the announcement.

When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?

The posting date is April 12, 2013. The original and current closing date is April 19, 2013.

When was the opportunity archived?

The archive date listed is April 12, 2014.

How much funding is available under this opportunity?

The public listing reports estimated total funding and award ceiling/floor as 0. This can indicate the entry may be informational in nature (for example, a request for information or placeholder record) rather than a standard competitive funding round with amounts specified in the synopsis itself.

Does the listing indicate whether this is a standard FOA versus an RFI?

Based on the public listing details (including funding amounts shown as 0 and the presence of an email address that includes "RFI"), it suggests the item may be connected to a request for information (RFI) process or pre-solicitation engagement in addition to (or instead of) a conventional FOA with defined award sizes.

What type of award instrument is referenced?

The description characterizes the opportunity as a discretionary research and development grant/cooperative agreement concept.

What stage of technology development does the opportunity emphasize?

It emphasizes moving from lab-scale plant engineering toward field-validated, scalable bioenergy feedstocks, with particular focus on field trials and progress toward real-world deployment.

Who is the contact for questions or access issues?

The contact listed for access issues and inquiries is a contracting officer, Krystal Paige, and the email address provided is EngineeredHighEnergyCrops_RFI@hq.doe.gov.

What are the broader outcomes DOE is trying to achieve with this opportunity?

The opportunity is positioned as a way to strengthen domestic energy security and competitiveness while reducing emissions, by accelerating engineered energy crops that deliver more usable energy per acre and integrate more smoothly with existing fuel systems.