Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000981
Apply for DE FOA 0000981
- The National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions Research and Development Leading to Cost Competitive Coal to Liquids (CTL) Based Jet Fuel Production" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.089 Fossil Energy Research and Development.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 12, 2014 and posted on Sep 3, 2013.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 12, 2014. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- 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:
This opportunity, listed under Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000981, is a National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) request for information focused on research and development that would make coal-to-liquids (CTL) jet fuel both lower in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and more cost-competitive. The stated target use is military specification jet fuel, meaning the work is oriented toward producing a CTL-derived jet fuel that can meet strict performance and quality requirements while also addressing environmental impacts and overall production economics. In practical terms, the government is signaling interest in technologies, processes, and R&D pathways that can reduce the carbon footprint associated with CTL jet fuel production and help bring its cost closer to conventional or alternative jet fuel options.
The opportunity is categorized as a discretionary energy program and is associated with CFDA number 81.089, Fossil Energy Research and Development, which places it within the broader U.S. Department of Energy fossil energy R&D portfolio. The funding instrument type is labeled as "Other," and the description explicitly frames the notice as a Request for Information (RFI). An RFI is typically used by agencies to gather technical and market input before issuing a formal solicitation, so the main purpose is often to collect ideas, approaches, and evidence from industry, academia, labs, and other stakeholders about what is feasible, what gaps exist, and what kinds of projects or partnerships would be most impactful if the agency later funds full R&D awards.
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity, assuming no additional constraints appear in the full text of the announcement. This generally implies that private companies, universities, national laboratories, non-profits, state and local entities, and other organizations could respond, as long as they comply with any requirements described in the complete posting. The listing also indicates a cost sharing or matching requirement, which is common in applied energy R&D and often means that respondents should be prepared to contribute a portion of project costs from non-federal sources if the effort progresses from information gathering into a funded project stage.
Key timing details included in the notice are that it was posted on September 3, 2013, with an original closing date of September 30, 2013, and a later current closing date shown as March 12, 2014. The archive date is October 30, 2014, indicating the opportunity is no longer active. The creation date shown is February 12, 2014, which suggests updates or administrative changes were made after the original post. The presence of both an original and current closing date is consistent with agencies extending response windows, especially for RFIs where they want to broaden participation and gather more robust input.
From a technical standpoint, the emphasis on "GHG emissions reductions" and "cost competitiveness" points toward R&D topics such as improving CTL conversion efficiency, integrating carbon capture and storage or utilization, reducing lifecycle emissions across feedstock sourcing and processing, optimizing catalysts and reactors, integrating lower-carbon hydrogen sources, or hybrid systems that blend coal with biomass or other carbon sources to reduce lifecycle carbon intensity. The military jet fuel focus suggests attention to meeting established jet fuel specifications and performance standards, potentially including fuel stability, energy density, freezing point, aromatics content, and compatibility with existing aircraft and infrastructure. It also implies that the agency values solutions that can scale and operate reliably under demanding operational needs.
Administrative and contact details indicate the announcement was accessible via FedConnect, and a named contact was provided for help accessing the full announcement: Amanda Lopez, Contract Specialist, with a listed phone number of (304) 285-4220. NETL is the agency named on the listing, which aligns with its role in managing DOE fossil energy research initiatives and industry-facing technology development programs.
In summary, this grant-related notice is best understood as an RFI issued by NETL to gather actionable input on R&D directions that could enable CTL-based jet fuel production that is both cleaner in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and more economically viable, with an explicit application toward military-spec jet fuel. It is open to a broad range of applicants, anticipates cost sharing, and was part of DOE's fossil energy R&D activities during the 2013-2014 timeframe.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000981?
DE-FOA-0000981 is a National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) notice issued as a Request for Information (RFI) focused on research and development (R&D) that could make coal-to-liquids (CTL) jet fuel lower in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and more cost-competitive, with a stated target use of military specification jet fuel.
Is this a grant or a Request for Information (RFI)?
The notice is explicitly described as a Request for Information (RFI). RFIs are generally used to collect technical and market input and do not necessarily represent an immediate funding award opportunity. The intent is typically to inform potential future solicitations or funded R&D programs.
What agency is associated with this opportunity?
The opportunity is associated with the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), which manages U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) fossil energy research initiatives and technology development programs.
What program category does this fall under?
It is categorized as a discretionary energy program and is associated with CFDA number 81.089, Fossil Energy Research and Development.
What is the main purpose of this RFI?
The purpose is to gather actionable input on technologies, processes, and R&D pathways that could reduce the carbon footprint of CTL jet fuel production and improve overall production economics so CTL-derived jet fuel can be more competitive with conventional or alternative jet fuel options.
What type of jet fuel is the government focused on?
The stated target use is military specification jet fuel. That implies the work is oriented toward producing CTL-derived jet fuel that can meet strict performance and quality requirements while addressing GHG emissions and cost.
What technical themes are emphasized in the notice?
The notice emphasizes two main outcomes: (1) GHG emissions reductions and (2) cost competitiveness for CTL jet fuel. It signals interest in R&D that improves environmental performance and economics while still meeting military-spec fuel requirements.
What kinds of R&D approaches are suggested by the description?
Based on the description, relevant R&D directions could include improving CTL conversion efficiency, integrating carbon capture and storage (or utilization), reducing lifecycle emissions across feedstock sourcing and processing, optimizing catalysts and reactors, integrating lower-carbon hydrogen sources, or developing hybrid systems that blend coal with biomass or other carbon sources to reduce lifecycle carbon intensity.
Why does the notice mention military specification jet fuel?
The military jet fuel focus suggests attention to meeting established jet fuel specifications and performance standards, potentially including fuel stability, energy density, freezing point, aromatics content, and compatibility with existing aircraft and infrastructure. It also implies interest in solutions that can scale and operate reliably under demanding operational needs.
Who is eligible to respond?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted. This generally implies that any type of entity may respond (such as private companies, universities, national laboratories, non-profits, or state and local entities), subject to any requirements that may appear in the full text of the announcement.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
The listing indicates a cost sharing or matching requirement. While the notice is an RFI, this suggests that if the effort progresses into a funded R&D stage later, respondents should be prepared to contribute a portion of project costs from non-federal sources.
What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type is labeled as "Other," and the description frames the notice as an RFI rather than a standard grant or cooperative agreement solicitation.
When was the opportunity posted and when did it close?
The notice was posted on September 3, 2013. It lists an original closing date of September 30, 2013, and a later current closing date of March 12, 2014.
Why are there two closing dates listed (original and current)?
The presence of both an original and current closing date is consistent with the response window being extended, which can happen when agencies want broader participation or more robust input for an RFI.
Is this opportunity still open?
No. The archive date is October 30, 2014, which indicates the opportunity is no longer active.
What does the archive date mean?
The archive date (October 30, 2014) indicates the opportunity has been archived and is not currently active for responses.
What does the creation date indicate?
The creation date shown is February 12, 2014. This suggests updates or administrative changes were made after the original posting date.
Where was the announcement accessible?
The administrative details indicate the announcement was accessible via FedConnect.
Who is the listed point of contact for help accessing the full announcement?
The notice lists Amanda Lopez, Contract Specialist, as the contact for help accessing the full announcement, with a phone number of (304) 285-4220.
What is NETL seeking from respondents?
NETL is seeking input that helps identify feasible technical pathways, gaps, and high-impact R&D directions that could enable CTL-based jet fuel to achieve lower lifecycle GHG emissions and improved cost competitiveness, while meeting military jet fuel requirements.
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