REFUEL (SBIR/STTR) | Apply Online

REFUEL (ARPA-E SBIR/STTR) Grant Opportunity FAQs

1) What is the REFUEL funding opportunity?

REFUEL (Renewable Energy to Fuels Through Utilization of Energy-Dense Liquids) is a Department of Energy ARPA-E funding opportunity offered through the SBIR/STTR programs. It supports high-risk, high-reward small business research and development focused on turning renewable energy into storable, transportable chemical energy in the form of carbon-neutral liquid fuels.

2) Which agency is offering REFUEL?

The opportunity is offered by ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy) within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

3) What is the main goal of the REFUEL program?

The core goal is to convert intermittent renewable electricity or renewable thermal energy into carbon-neutral liquid fuels (CNLFs) that can be stored for long periods, transported using established liquid-fuel infrastructure, and then converted at the point of use into hydrogen or electricity.

4) What problem is REFUEL trying to solve?

REFUEL is intended to address two bottlenecks at once: (1) large-scale, long-duration storage of intermittent renewable energy, and (2) decarbonizing applications like transportation and distributed power generation where liquid fuels remain attractive because of high energy density and mature delivery systems.

5) What types of energy inputs does REFUEL focus on?

REFUEL focuses on intermittent renewable electricity (such as wind or solar) and renewable thermal energy as the energy sources used to drive fuel synthesis and related processes.

6) What are carbon-neutral liquid fuels (CNLFs) in the context of this program?

In this program, CNLFs refer to energy-dense liquid fuels produced using renewable energy and low-cost, widely available feedstocks (notably water plus air-derived inputs like carbon dioxide and nitrogen). The intent is that these liquids enable carbon-neutral energy storage and delivery when paired with appropriate production and end-use conversion methods.

7) What are the two main technical thrusts within REFUEL?

REFUEL is structured around two main technical thrusts:

• Synthesis: Developing scalable processes to produce carbon-neutral liquid fuels using intermittent renewable energy and low-cost, widely available feedstocks (water plus air-derived carbon dioxide and potentially nitrogen).
• Utilization: Developing efficient methods to convert delivered liquids back into useful energy carriers such as hydrogen or electricity at the endpoint.

8) What does the synthesis thrust require in terms of feedstocks?

The synthesis thrust targets processes that use only widely available, low-cost feedstocks: water plus air-derived inputs, specifically carbon dioxide and nitrogen. The concept is to use water and captured CO2 (and potentially nitrogen from air) as chemical building blocks, with renewable energy providing the driving force to produce liquid fuels.

9) What does the utilization thrust cover?

The utilization thrust covers technologies and systems that convert the produced and delivered liquids back into usable energy at the point of use, such as hydrogen or electricity. Examples mentioned include fuel processing and reforming concepts, electrochemical conversion approaches, or other conversion systems for vehicles, generators, or distributed applications.

10) Who is eligible to apply?

The opportunity is aimed at eligible small businesses through the DOE SBIR/STTR programs.

11) What is the difference between SBIR and STTR for this opportunity?

SBIR emphasizes innovation within the small business, while STTR emphasizes a formal collaboration between a small business and a research institution. Both are used by ARPA-E to support small-business-led R&D with commercialization potential.

12) What are the broader SBIR/STTR goals referenced for this opportunity?

The referenced SBIR/STTR goals include stimulating private-sector innovation, meeting federal R&D needs, improving commercialization outcomes from federally funded research, encouraging participation from disadvantaged and women-owned small businesses, and increasing the overall national return on investment from research spending.

13) What types of projects is ARPA-E generally trying to fund through REFUEL?

ARPA-E is designed to push energy technologies that are too early for typical private investment but could have outsized impact if successful. REFUEL specifically seeks small-business-led breakthroughs that could create new cost and performance trajectories rather than incremental improvements.

14) How is ARPA-E’s mission connected to REFUEL?

REFUEL aligns with ARPA-E’s broader mission established by Congress: strengthening U.S. economic and energy security, reducing dependence on foreign energy imports, cutting energy-related emissions (including greenhouse gases), and improving efficiency across the economy.

15) What are the funding phases mentioned for ARPA-E SBIR/STTR?

ARPA-E administers SBIR/STTR funding in phases: Phase I, Phase II, and a Phase IIB-style follow-on often referred to as Phase IIS in ARPA-E materials. These phases reflect a progression from early feasibility to more advanced development and demonstration.

16) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number) for REFUEL?

The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0001563.

17) What type of award instrument was used?

The announcement used cooperative agreements, meaning ARPA-E typically expects substantial programmatic involvement during the project period rather than operating as a purely hands-off grantmaker.

18) What is the program classification information provided (CFDA and category)?

The funding activity category is Science and Technology R&D under CFDA 81.135.

19) What was the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The published award ceiling was $3,225,000.

20) How many awards were expected?

The announcement indicated an expectation of about five awards.

21) What were the key dates for this opportunity?

The posting and creation dates were April 26, 2016, and the submission closing date was May 25, 2016.

22) How were submissions required to be submitted?

Submissions were required to go through the ARPA-E eXCHANGE system. ARPA-E noted it would not review concept papers submitted by other methods and directed applicants to the ARPA-E site for the full FOA and to the eXCHANGE user guide for submission instructions.

23) Why does REFUEL emphasize existing liquid-fuel infrastructure?

The concept is to produce energy-dense liquids that can move through established liquid-fuel logistics, making long-term storage and transport more practical. This is intended to help deliver renewable energy where and when it is needed, using mature distribution systems already built around liquid fuels.

24) What end uses are highlighted for the converted energy?

The opportunity highlights conversion of the liquid fuels at the endpoint into hydrogen or electricity for uses such as vehicles, generators, and other distributed applications.

25) What is the strategic payoff described for REFUEL if successful?

The described payoff is a system that can absorb intermittent renewable generation when abundant, store it in dense liquid form using broadly available inputs, and deliver that energy through existing liquid fuel infrastructure. This could reduce transportation emissions and improve U.S. energy resilience.