Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001348
Apply for DE FOA 0001348
- The Office of Science in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Research on Innovative Approaches to Fusion Energy Sciences" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.049 Office of Science Financial Assistance Program.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 1, 2015 and posted on Jun 1, 2015.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 3, 2015. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $6,200,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- 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 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, through its Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES), offered this grant opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001348) to support research on innovative approaches in fusion energy science focused on three major toroidal magnetic confinement concepts: spherical tokamaks, advanced tokamaks, and stellarators. The central idea behind the call was to fund work that uses small to medium scale experimental facilities (and the associated theory, modeling, and design efforts that enable them) to probe specific scientific and engineering questions that can strengthen the overall understanding of magnetically confined plasmas. By encouraging exploration across a wider range of plasma conditions and configurations, the program aimed to broaden the fusion research portfolio and increase the likelihood of new scientific discoveries relevant to toroidal confinement, including knowledge that can feed forward to larger flagship devices.
A major emphasis of the announcement was on research that can deepen the scientific basis of tokamak and stellarator approaches and improve their prospects as practical fusion energy systems. For stellarators, a highlighted priority was investigating configurations that make magnet systems simpler and more maintainable while also extending performance, particularly in confinement-relevant parameters. Because stellarators rely on complex three-dimensional magnetic shaping, the FOA underscored the importance of designs that reduce coil complexity and improve maintainability without sacrificing confinement quality, which is a long-standing barrier to cost-effective stellarator implementation.
For tokamaks and related concepts, the opportunity stressed integrated understanding of three-dimensional shaping effects in higher-performance plasmas. Even in nominally axisymmetric tokamaks, 3D fields and shaping can strongly influence stability, transport, and edge behavior, and the FOA signaled interest in efforts that treat 3D shaping as a coupled, system-level issue rather than as a narrow perturbation. Closely related, the announcement specifically called out applying 3D analysis and design methods to the suppression of edge localized modes (ELMs) on existing tokamaks and on ITER-relevant scenarios. ELM control is a key challenge because uncontrolled ELMs can deliver damaging heat pulses to plasma-facing components, so advances in understanding and designing 3D field approaches for ELM suppression were positioned as high value for both present facilities and the ITER program.
Another targeted scientific challenge was anomalous electron transport in spherical tokamaks. Spherical tokamaks operate at low aspect ratio and can access high beta regimes, but they present distinct transport behavior and stability constraints. The FOA sought research that clarifies the mechanisms driving unexpectedly high electron heat transport (beyond classical expectations), since improved understanding there can directly translate to better predictive capability and performance optimization in spherical tokamak regimes.
Operational reliability was also a core theme, particularly disruption avoidance and mitigation for spherical and advanced tokamaks. Disruptions are rapid loss-of-confinement events that can create severe forces and thermal loads, and they represent a major obstacle to steady, dependable operation. The announcement encouraged proposals that would resolve key physics and control challenges so these devices can move toward reliable, continuous operation, implying interest in both prevention (scenario development, stability boundaries, control methods) and mitigation (techniques that reduce damage when disruptions occur).
Finally, the FOA highlighted plasma-material interactions (PMI) as an area needing innovative approaches for both tokamak and stellarator concepts. PMI issues include how intense plasma heat and particle fluxes affect first-wall and divertor materials, impurity generation and migration, fuel retention, surface modifications, and overall component lifetime. The call signaled that addressing PMI challenges is essential for making either confinement concept viable in practice, not only from a materials standpoint but also because PMI feeds back into core plasma performance and operational limits.
From an administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary grant program under the DOE Office of Science Financial Assistance framework (CFDA 81.049). The opportunity listed an estimated total funding level of about $6.2 million, with individual awards ranging from a nominal floor of $1 up to a ceiling of $2,000,000, and it did not require cost sharing or matching. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted (open broadly to applicant types, subject to any clarifications in the full FOA text). The opportunity was posted on June 1, 2015, with an application deadline of August 3, 2015, and it was archived on September 2, 2015. The technical and scientific program contact identified for the announcement was Dr. Samuel J. Barish (sam.barish@science.doe.gov, 301-903-2917), who would have been the point of contact for questions about fit to program goals or difficulties accessing the full announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the funding opportunity number (FOA number) for this grant?
The funding opportunity number is DE-FOA-0001348.
Which agency and program office offered this opportunity?
This opportunity was offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science, through the Office of Fusion Energy Sciences (FES).
What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?
The opportunity was designed to support research on innovative approaches in fusion energy science focused on three major toroidal magnetic confinement concepts: spherical tokamaks, advanced tokamaks, and stellarators. A central goal was to fund work using small to medium scale experimental facilities (and related theory, modeling, and design) to address specific scientific and engineering questions that strengthen understanding of magnetically confined plasmas and inform larger flagship devices.
Which magnetic confinement concepts were emphasized?
The FOA emphasized three toroidal magnetic confinement concepts: spherical tokamaks, advanced tokamaks, and stellarators.
What scale of facilities were intended to be supported?
The FOA emphasized small to medium scale experimental facilities, along with the associated theory, modeling, and design efforts that enable those experiments.
Why did the program emphasize small to medium scale facilities?
By enabling experiments across a wider range of plasma conditions and configurations, the program aimed to broaden the fusion research portfolio and increase the likelihood of new scientific discoveries relevant to toroidal confinement, including results that can feed forward to larger flagship devices.
What stellarator research priorities were highlighted?
A highlighted priority for stellarators was investigating configurations that make magnet systems simpler and more maintainable while extending performance, particularly in confinement-relevant parameters. The FOA emphasized reducing coil complexity and improving maintainability without sacrificing confinement quality.
Why was coil complexity and maintainability a focus for stellarators?
The FOA noted that stellarators depend on complex three-dimensional magnetic shaping, and that coil complexity and maintainability are long-standing barriers to cost-effective stellarator implementation. The call emphasized designs that reduce these burdens while preserving confinement quality.
What tokamak research priorities were highlighted?
For tokamaks and related concepts, the FOA stressed developing an integrated understanding of three-dimensional (3D) shaping effects in higher-performance plasmas, treating 3D shaping as a coupled, system-level issue affecting stability, transport, and edge behavior.
Did the opportunity specifically address ELM suppression?
Yes. The FOA specifically called out applying 3D analysis and design methods to the suppression of edge localized modes (ELMs) on existing tokamaks and on ITER-relevant scenarios.
Why is ELM suppression important in this FOA?
The FOA framed ELM control as a key challenge because uncontrolled ELMs can deliver damaging heat pulses to plasma-facing components. Advances in understanding and designing 3D field approaches for ELM suppression were described as high value for present facilities and the ITER program.
What spherical tokamak topic was singled out as a targeted scientific challenge?
The FOA targeted anomalous electron transport in spherical tokamaks, seeking research to clarify mechanisms driving unexpectedly high electron heat transport beyond classical expectations.
Why did the FOA focus on electron transport in spherical tokamaks?
Spherical tokamaks operate at low aspect ratio and can access high beta regimes, but they exhibit distinct transport behavior and stability constraints. The FOA emphasized that understanding anomalous electron heat transport can improve predictive capability and performance optimization in spherical tokamak regimes.
Was operational reliability addressed, and for which concepts?
Yes. Operational reliability was a core theme, particularly disruption avoidance and mitigation for spherical and advanced tokamaks.
What kinds of disruption-related work did the FOA encourage?
The FOA encouraged proposals to resolve key physics and control challenges to move toward reliable, continuous operation. This included interest in both prevention (such as scenario development, stability boundaries, and control methods) and mitigation (techniques that reduce damage when disruptions occur).
Did the opportunity include plasma-material interactions (PMI) as a topic?
Yes. The FOA highlighted plasma-material interactions (PMI) as an area needing innovative approaches for both tokamak and stellarator concepts.
What PMI issues were described in the opportunity?
PMI issues described included how intense plasma heat and particle fluxes affect first-wall and divertor materials, impurity generation and migration, fuel retention, surface modifications, and overall component lifetime. The FOA also noted that PMI feeds back into core plasma performance and operational limits.
What kind of funding mechanism was this?
This was a discretionary grant program under the DOE Office of Science Financial Assistance framework, with CFDA 81.049.
What was the estimated total funding level for the FOA?
The FOA listed an estimated total funding level of about $6.2 million.
What was the stated range of individual award amounts?
Individual awards ranged from a nominal floor of $1 up to a ceiling of $2,000,000.
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The FOA stated that it did not require cost sharing or matching.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was open broadly to applicant types, subject to any clarifications in the full FOA text.
When was the opportunity posted?
The opportunity was posted on June 1, 2015.
What was the application deadline?
The application deadline was August 3, 2015.
When was the opportunity archived?
The opportunity was archived on September 2, 2015.
Who was the technical and scientific contact for this FOA?
The technical and scientific program contact was Dr. Samuel J. Barish.
How could applicants contact the program for questions?
Questions about fit to program goals or difficulties accessing the full announcement were directed to Dr. Samuel J. Barish at sam.barish@science.doe.gov or 301-903-2917.
What types of research activities were explicitly included alongside experiments?
In addition to small to medium scale experiments, the FOA emphasized the associated theory, modeling, and design efforts that enable those experimental facilities and help probe targeted scientific and engineering questions.
How did the FOA describe the value of this research to larger fusion devices?
The FOA emphasized that results from these efforts could strengthen understanding of toroidal confinement and feed forward to larger flagship devices, including through improved understanding of plasma behavior, operational limits, and design-relevant science.
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