NSF/DOE PARTNERSHIP ON ADVANCED FRONTIERS IN RENEWABLE HYDROGEN FUEL PRODUCTION VIA SOLAR WATER SPLITTING TECHNOLOGIES 2014 2016 | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

This grant opportunity, NSF Publication 14-511, was a joint initiative between the National Science Foundation (NSF) Directorate for Engineering and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies (FCT) Office focused on accelerating progress in renewable hydrogen fuel production using solar water splitting technologies. The central aim was to push both the fundamental science and the engineering needed to make hydrogen generation from sunlight and water more efficient, durable, and ultimately practical as a clean fuel pathway. By combining NSF's strength in use-inspired fundamental research and education with DOE's role in applied research, development, and demonstration, the partnership was designed to tackle nationally important barriers that limit sustainable fuel production from renewable resources.

The technical scope emphasized advanced frontiers in solar-driven water splitting, a family of approaches that use sunlight to separate water into hydrogen and oxygen. In practice, this includes photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting systems, photocatalytic materials and reactors, and related device architectures where materials performance, interfaces, and system engineering all strongly influence efficiency and stability. The solicitation called for transformative ideas, meaning proposals were expected to go beyond incremental improvements and instead address critical bottlenecks such as light absorption and charge transport in semiconductors, catalytic activity and selectivity at electrodes, corrosion and long-term stability in aqueous environments, and integrated designs that can operate efficiently under real-world solar conditions. Although the program was anchored in engineering, it explicitly welcomed contributions from other disciplines when needed to solve the problem, reflecting the reality that progress in solar fuels often depends on coordinated advances in materials science, chemistry, physics, and systems design.

From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary grant program categorized under science and technology research and development. The funding opportunity number was 14-511, and it anticipated making about five awards. The estimated total funding available was listed as $250,000, with individual awards expected to range from a floor of $150,000 up to a ceiling of $250,000. There was no cost sharing or matching requirement, which typically lowers barriers to participation and allows researchers to focus on technical merit rather than assembling non-federal contributions. The relevant CFDA numbers associated with the program were 47.041 (Engineering Grants) and 81.049 (Office of Science Financial Assistance Program), reflecting the cross-agency nature of the partnership.

Eligibility rules were framed around the principal investigator requirement: PIs had to be at the faculty level as determined by the submitting organization. The solicitation noted that additional eligibility details were provided in the full announcement, but the key takeaway is that it was oriented toward academic-led research teams. At the same time, because the topic sits at the intersection of discovery and translation, many competitive proposals under such a partnership would typically be expected to demonstrate awareness of downstream performance targets and practical constraints, even when the work itself is fundamental.

In terms of timing, the opportunity was originally posted on November 13, 2013, with an original closing date of February 10, 2014. The record indicates it was later archived, with an archive date of September 10, 2014, meaning it is no longer open for applications. The solicitation pointed applicants to NSF Publication 14-511 for full requirements and instructions, and provided support contacts primarily for access and technical issues related to the electronic announcement and Grants.gov.

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: National Science Foundation

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development

Next opportunity: Professional Research Experience Program (PREP Boulder)

Previous opportunity: CyberCorps(R) Scholarship for Service

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for 14 511

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (14 511) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "14 511", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.