Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001455
Apply for DE FOA 0001455
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "HydroNEXT Non-powered Dam Technology Development & Demonstration and North American Grid Integration" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jul 26, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 07, 2016. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,500,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 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 HydroNEXT Non-powered Dam Technology Development and Demonstration and North American Grid Integration funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001455) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) solicitation run through the Golden Field Office under the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) office. It is designed to accelerate hydropower-related technologies by tackling two practical barriers that often slow projects down: high up-front capital costs and long development timelines. DOE’s core aim here is to move promising concepts closer to real-world deployment by supporting technology development and early demonstrations that make hydropower projects faster, cheaper, and easier to build.
This opportunity is offered as a discretionary program using cooperative agreements, which typically means DOE expects substantial involvement during the project period (for example, technical direction, milestone reviews, and active project management), rather than simply issuing a grant and stepping back. The FOA anticipated making about eight awards, with an award ceiling of $1.5 million per project. The program is associated with CFDA number 81.087. Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type), although applicants are expected to review the FOA text for any additional eligibility conditions or clarifications.
Funding is organized into two topic areas, each focused on a different hydropower pathway. Topic Area 1 targets non-powered dams (NPD), meaning existing dams that currently do not generate electricity. The goal in this topic is to develop low-head turbine and generator solutions that are modular and standardized. In practice, DOE is looking for equipment designs that can be installed with less custom construction, reduce the amount of civil works needed at a site, and still operate effectively across a range of river flows. Emphasis on “low-head†is important because many potential NPD sites do not have large elevation drops; technologies that can generate power efficiently at low head can unlock more sites. Emphasis on modularity and standardization is meant to cut engineering and construction time, reduce site-specific redesign, and make deployments more repeatable from one dam to another.
Topic Area 2 focuses on pumped storage hydropower (PSH), specifically innovative closed-loop concepts. Closed-loop PSH generally refers to pumped storage systems that are largely isolated from natural waterways, relying on constructed reservoirs and recirculating water between them. DOE’s interest in closed-loop systems in this FOA is tied to reducing permitting complexity and environmental impacts that can arise when directly interacting with rivers. Under this topic, projects are expected to prove concept feasibility for PSH designs that reduce cost and shorten timelines by applying modular construction ideas and by using creative ways to create the needed “head†(the pressure or elevation difference that drives generation). The FOA text highlights examples such as pressurizing water with compressed air or using weights, which signals interest in unconventional but practical engineering approaches that could simplify siting and infrastructure requirements compared to traditional large-scale pumped storage.
Applications for this FOA were required to be submitted electronically through the EERE Exchange portal (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov). Applicants needed to register and create an account on EERE Exchange to apply, and DOE provided a user guide to help with the submission process (available via the EERE Exchange manuals page). The FOA was originally posted July 26, 2016, with an original closing date of October 7, 2016.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is the HydroNEXT Non-powered Dam Technology Development and Demonstration and North American Grid Integration funding opportunity?
It is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) solicitation (DE-FOA-0001455) administered through the DOE Golden Field Office under the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) office. The program is intended to accelerate hydropower-related technologies by supporting technology development and early demonstrations that help projects move closer to real-world deployment.
2) What barriers is this FOA trying to address?
The opportunity targets two common barriers that slow hydropower projects down: high up-front capital costs and long development timelines. The FOA is structured to support concepts and demonstrations that make hydropower projects faster, cheaper, and easier to build.
3) What type of federal funding instrument is used under this opportunity?
This is a discretionary program using cooperative agreements. Cooperative agreements typically involve substantial DOE involvement during the project period, such as technical direction, milestone reviews, and active project management, rather than DOE simply issuing funds and stepping back.
4) How many awards were anticipated under the FOA?
The FOA anticipated making about eight awards.
5) What is the maximum funding amount per project?
The award ceiling was $1.5 million per project.
6) What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The program is associated with CFDA number 81.087.
7) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any entity type). Applicants were expected to review the FOA text for any additional eligibility conditions or clarifications.
8) How is funding organized within this FOA?
Funding is organized into two topic areas, each focused on a different hydropower pathway: (1) non-powered dams (NPD) and (2) pumped storage hydropower (PSH) using innovative closed-loop concepts.
9) What is Topic Area 1 focused on?
Topic Area 1 targets non-powered dams (NPD), meaning existing dams that currently do not generate electricity. The goal is to develop low-head turbine and generator solutions that are modular and standardized.
10) What does "non-powered dams" mean in this FOA?
In this FOA, non-powered dams are existing dams that do not currently generate electricity.
11) What does DOE mean by "low-head" in Topic Area 1?
"Low-head" refers to sites with smaller elevation drops. Many potential non-powered dam sites do not have large elevation differences, so technologies that can generate power efficiently at low head can unlock more sites.
12) What kinds of technology characteristics are emphasized for Topic Area 1?
DOE emphasized modular and standardized low-head turbine and generator solutions designed to reduce custom construction and civil works, operate effectively across a range of river flows, and reduce engineering and construction time by minimizing site-specific redesign.
13) Why does the FOA emphasize modularity and standardization for non-powered dams?
The emphasis is intended to cut engineering and construction time, reduce site-specific redesign, and make deployments more repeatable from one dam site to another.
14) What is Topic Area 2 focused on?
Topic Area 2 focuses on pumped storage hydropower (PSH), specifically innovative closed-loop concepts.
15) What does "closed-loop" pumped storage mean in this FOA?
Closed-loop pumped storage generally refers to pumped storage systems that are largely isolated from natural waterways. These systems rely on constructed reservoirs and recirculate water between them.
16) Why is DOE interested in closed-loop pumped storage concepts under this FOA?
DOE’s interest is tied to reducing permitting complexity and environmental impacts that can arise when pumped storage projects directly interact with rivers.
17) What is DOE expecting projects to demonstrate under Topic Area 2?
Projects are expected to prove concept feasibility for innovative closed-loop PSH designs that reduce cost and shorten timelines by applying modular construction ideas and by using creative approaches to create the needed head (pressure or elevation difference).
18) What examples of "creative ways to create head" are mentioned in the FOA description?
The FOA highlights examples such as pressurizing water with compressed air or using weights, signaling interest in unconventional but practical engineering approaches that could simplify siting and infrastructure requirements compared to traditional large-scale pumped storage.
19) How were applications submitted?
Applications were required to be submitted electronically through the EERE Exchange portal at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov.
20) Was registration required to apply?
Yes. Applicants needed to register and create an account on EERE Exchange to apply.
21) Was help available for the EERE Exchange submission process?
DOE provided a user guide to help with the submission process, available via the EERE Exchange manuals page.
22) When was the FOA originally posted?
The FOA was originally posted on July 26, 2016.
23) What was the original closing date for applications?
The original closing date was October 7, 2016.
24) Which DOE offices are associated with administering this FOA?
The solicitation was run through the DOE Golden Field Office under DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) office.
25) What is the main purpose of DOE support in this program?
DOE’s core aim is to move promising hydropower concepts closer to deployment by supporting technology development and early demonstrations that reduce cost and time to build while improving practical deployability.
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| Request for Information: Teaming Partner List for Upcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement: Buildings Energy Efficiency Frontiers & Innovation Technologies (BENEFIT) - 2017 Apply for DE FOA 0001675 Funding Number: DE FOA 0001675 Agency: Department of Energy, Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
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