Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000949
Apply for DE FOA 0000949
- The Headquarters in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Full Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.135 Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 17, 2013 and posted on Jul 16, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 22, 2013. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $30,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $10,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 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.
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Opportunity Summary:
The Full Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS) funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0000949) is an ARPA-E research and development program focused on pushing solar technology beyond incremental improvements to todays mainstream approaches. The core idea is to develop disruptive solar energy conversion and storage options that could allow solar to supply a much larger share of the U.S. energy system than would be realistic relying only on conventional photovoltaic (PV), concentrating solar power (CSP), and standard electrical storage technologies. In practical terms, the program is looking for new pathways that make solar power more useful, more flexible, and ultimately more competitive, especially in situations where electricity needs to be available on demand rather than only when the sun is shining.
FOCUS emphasizes two technical thrusts. The first is concentrating hybrid solar energy converters that make better use of the full solar spectrum. Instead of treating sunlight as primarily an input to a PV cell (electricity) or a CSP receiver (heat), these hybrid concepts aim to capture and convert sunlight into both heat and electricity in a coordinated, low-cost way. The point is to avoid wasting parts of the spectrum and to reduce overall system cost by integrating thermal and electrical conversion rather than treating them as separate systems. The second thrust is hybrid storage: low-cost storage devices that take in both electricity and heat as charging inputs, but deliver electricity as the output. This is a notable departure from typical storage concepts, since it explicitly values heat as a useful charging resource and looks for architectures where thermal and electrical domains work together to improve cost, performance, or dispatchability.
A major performance and market-facing goal behind these technical areas is dispatchable solar electricity at utility scale. The program frames success as reaching a technology maturity level where energy systems built around these advanced converters and storage devices can compete on cost with other solutions, including conventional generation. In other words, FOCUS is not only about achieving higher efficiency in a lab setting; it is also about opening a credible route to solar electricity that can be delivered when needed, at prices that are competitive in real power markets. If achieved, these advances are expected to reduce energy-related emissions, cut U.S. reliance on foreign energy sources, and strengthen U.S. leadership in advanced solar technology.
FOCUS also explicitly aims to build a broad, integrated research community rather than isolated discipline-specific efforts. The opportunity encourages collaboration among CSP mechanical engineers, PV semiconductor materials and device scientists, optics and photonics experts, chemists, low-cost manufacturing specialists, and system integrators. This emphasis reflects the nature of the problem: hybrid conversion and hybrid storage require coordinated advances across materials, device physics, optical concentration, thermal management, manufacturability, and full-system design.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (Headquarters) through ARPA-E under CFDA 81.135. Awards are planned as cooperative agreements, which typically means the government expects a more active role than in a standard grant, often involving collaboration, milestones, and ongoing project engagement. The opportunity anticipated around 15 awards with an estimated total funding level of $30,000,000. Individual awards ranged from a floor of $250,000 to a ceiling of $10,000,000. The posting date was July 16, 2013, with a listed closing date of August 22, 2013 (the original closing date was listed as to be determined), and the archive date was July 17, 2014. The eligibility category is described as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types could apply, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement. No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated.
The specific modification described for this opportunity is purely corrective and addresses two typographical errors. First, it corrects the program title to "Full Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS)" (replacing an incorrect version that used the word "Collection"). Second, it corrects the description of a URL link so it also refers to "Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight" rather than "Conversion and Utilization of Solar Energy." The technical scope and intent of the program remain the same; the change is about ensuring the public-facing title and link text accurately reflect the programs official name.
For help accessing the full announcement, the listed contact is Benjamin Lardizabal, Contracting Officer, at 202-287-1479 or benjamin.lardizabal@hq.doe.gov.
FOCUS (DE-FOA-0000949) Grant Opportunity FAQs
1. What is the FOCUS funding opportunity?
FOCUS stands for Full Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight. It is an ARPA-E research and development funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0000949) designed to push solar technology beyond incremental improvements to mainstream approaches such as conventional photovoltaic (PV), concentrating solar power (CSP), and standard electrical storage.
2. Who is offering this opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (Headquarters) through ARPA-E.
3. What is the main goal of the program?
The program aims to develop disruptive solar energy conversion and storage options that could allow solar to supply a much larger share of the U.S. energy system than would be realistic using only conventional PV, CSP, and standard electrical storage technologies. A central market-facing goal is utility-scale, dispatchable solar electricity (electricity available on demand, not only when the sun is shining) at competitive costs.
4. What does ARPA-E mean by going beyond incremental improvements?
Based on the description, FOCUS is not focused on small step improvements to existing PV or CSP approaches. Instead, it seeks new pathways that make solar power more useful, more flexible, and more competitive, especially for applications requiring dispatchable (on-demand) electricity.
5. What technical areas does FOCUS emphasize?
FOCUS emphasizes two technical thrusts: (1) concentrating hybrid solar energy converters that make better use of the full solar spectrum, and (2) hybrid storage systems that can charge using both electricity and heat, but deliver electricity as output.
6. What are "concentrating hybrid solar energy converters" in this program?
These are concepts that use solar concentration and aim to capture and convert sunlight into both heat and electricity in a coordinated way. The program frames them as an integrated approach rather than treating PV (electricity) and CSP (heat) as separate systems, with an emphasis on reducing wasted parts of the spectrum and lowering overall system cost through integration.
7. What is meant by "full solar spectrum" in the program context?
In the context provided, it refers to the idea that sunlight includes multiple wavelengths that are not always used effectively by single-pathway systems. FOCUS is looking for hybrid converter approaches that make better use of the spectrum by coordinating thermal (heat) and electrical conversion.
8. What is "hybrid storage" as defined by FOCUS?
Hybrid storage in FOCUS refers to low-cost storage devices that accept both electricity and heat as charging inputs, while delivering electricity as the output. This differs from typical storage concepts by explicitly treating heat as a valuable charging resource and encouraging architectures that combine thermal and electrical domains.
9. What kind of output does the hybrid storage thrust target?
The program description specifies that the hybrid storage devices should deliver electricity as the output, even though they can charge from both electrical and thermal inputs.
10. What does the program mean by "dispatchable solar electricity"?
Dispatchable solar electricity, as described, means solar-derived electricity that can be delivered when needed (on demand), not only during sunshine hours. This is tied to the program emphasis on hybrid conversion and hybrid storage to improve flexibility and practicality for the grid.
11. Is this program mainly about laboratory efficiency records?
No. The description explicitly notes that FOCUS is not only about achieving higher efficiency in a lab setting. It is also about creating a credible route to solar electricity that can be delivered when needed and can compete on cost in real power markets.
12. What outcomes or impacts does the program expect if successful?
If successful, the advances are expected to reduce energy-related emissions, reduce U.S. reliance on foreign energy sources, and strengthen U.S. leadership in advanced solar technology.
13. Does FOCUS encourage collaboration, and if so, among whom?
Yes. FOCUS explicitly aims to build a broad, integrated research community rather than isolated discipline-specific efforts. It encourages collaboration among areas including CSP mechanical engineering, PV semiconductor materials and device science, optics and photonics, chemistry, low-cost manufacturing, and system integration.
14. What type of funding instrument will be used for awards?
Awards are planned as cooperative agreements. The description notes that cooperative agreements typically involve a more active government role than a standard grant, often including collaboration, milestones, and ongoing project engagement.
15. How many awards were anticipated, and what was the total funding level?
The opportunity anticipated around 15 awards, with an estimated total funding level of $30,000,000.
16. What was the expected award size range?
Individual awards were expected to range from $250,000 (floor) up to $10,000,000 (ceiling).
17. Is there a cost sharing or matching requirement?
No cost sharing or matching requirement is indicated in the provided information.
18. Who was eligible to apply?
The eligibility category is described as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types could apply, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement.
19. What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is listed under CFDA 81.135.
20. What were the key dates for this opportunity?
The posting date was July 16, 2013. The listed closing date was August 22, 2013 (with the original closing date previously listed as to be determined). The archive date was July 17, 2014.
21. Was there a modification to the announcement, and what changed?
Yes. The modification described is purely corrective and addresses two typographical errors. It corrects the program title to "Full Spectrum Optimized Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight (FOCUS)" (replacing an incorrect version that used the word "Collection"). It also corrects the description of a URL link so it refers to "Conversion and Utilization of Sunlight" rather than "Conversion and Utilization of Solar Energy." The technical scope and intent did not change.
22. Did the correction affect the technical scope or program intent?
No. The correction is described as addressing only typographical errors, and the technical scope and intent of the program remain the same.
23. What is the opportunity number or identifier applicants should reference?
The funding opportunity is identified as DE-FOA-0000949.
24. Who is the point of contact for help accessing the full announcement?
The listed contact is Benjamin Lardizabal, Contracting Officer. Phone: 202-287-1479. Email: benjamin.lardizabal@hq.doe.gov.
25. What agency office is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (Headquarters) through ARPA-E.
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