Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000484
Apply for DE FOA 0000484
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "RFI 1/W Photovoltaic Systems Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems Advanced Concepts" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087 Renewable Energy Research and Development.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 11, 2011 and posted on Jan 11, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Feb 4, 2011. (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 is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), specifically the Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP). It is tied to the DOE "1/W Workshop" held in Washington, DC on August 11-12, 2010, which laid out a national cost-reduction target of achieving fully installed photovoltaic (PV) systems at roughly $1 per watt by 2017. The RFI focuses on one of the major cost and performance leverage points for PV systems: power electronics and their role in solar energy grid integration. In practical terms, DOE is asking stakeholders to provide input on Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems, Advanced Concepts (SEGIS AC), and to explain how advances or design changes in power electronics could influence the cost and effectiveness of the PV system as a whole, not just the inverter itself.
The technical emphasis comes directly from the workshop findings, which identified several areas where power electronics could drive meaningful cost reductions and enable higher solar penetration on the grid without relying on subsidies. DOE highlights five main themes for potential improvement: economies of scale (manufacturing and deployment approaches that reduce per-unit cost as volume increases), advanced components (new devices, materials, topologies, and integrated designs that boost performance and lower cost), reliability (longer-lasting systems with fewer failures and reduced maintenance), smart grid integration (hardware and controls that better support grid operations, communications, and advanced grid services), and understanding of system implications (how inverter and power electronics design choices ripple through installation cost, balance-of-system design, operations, and overall system value). The RFI is essentially trying to gather real-world perspectives, data, and ideas that connect these power-electronics innovations to total installed PV system cost, including any impacts on installation complexity, permitting or inspection, system monitoring, maintenance, uptime, and compatibility with emerging grid requirements.
From an administrative standpoint, this is categorized as a discretionary opportunity with the funding instrument type listed as "Other," which is consistent with an RFI rather than a direct grant or procurement solicitation. The total estimated funding is listed as $0, and both award ceiling and floor are $0, reinforcing that the purpose is information gathering rather than immediate awards. Even so, RFIs often shape future funding opportunity announcements, program directions, and technical requirements, so responses can influence what DOE decides to fund later and what performance targets or cost metrics become important. The activity category is Energy, with CFDA number 81.087 (Renewable Energy Research and Development). A cost-sharing or matching requirement is marked "Yes" in the listing, though for an RFI this may reflect program norms or anticipated future solicitations connected to the topic rather than a direct requirement to submit information; the controlling details would be in the full announcement.
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning DOE is open to receiving input from essentially any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the full text. That typically includes private companies (including inverter and component manufacturers), universities, national laboratories, utilities and grid operators, system integrators and installers, standards and certification organizations, and other stakeholders with relevant experience in PV power electronics, grid interconnection, and system cost modeling. The issuing office is the DOE Golden Field Office. The posting and creation dates are January 11, 2011, and the closing date for submissions is February 4, 2011.
For access to the full announcement and any specific response instructions, the listing points to FedConnect at https://www.fedconnect.net. The contact provided for assistance, especially if there are issues accessing the announcement electronically, is Diana Heyder, Grants and Agreements Specialist, at diana.heyder@go.doe.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this opportunity?
This opportunity is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), specifically the Solar Energy Technologies Program (SETP). It is an information-gathering request, not a direct funding announcement.
Is this a grant or a funding opportunity with awards?
No. The listing shows total estimated funding of $0, with an award ceiling of $0 and an award floor of $0. That indicates DOE is collecting input rather than making awards under this notice.
What is the main purpose of the RFI?
DOE is seeking stakeholder input on how advances or design changes in photovoltaic (PV) power electronics could improve PV system cost and effectiveness, including impacts on solar energy grid integration. The emphasis is on the total PV system, not only the inverter itself.
How is this RFI connected to the DOE "1/W Workshop"?
The RFI is tied to the DOE "1/W Workshop" held in Washington, DC on August 11-12, 2010. That workshop outlined a national cost-reduction target of achieving fully installed PV systems at roughly $1 per watt by 2017.
What technical area is DOE focusing on in this RFI?
The RFI focuses on PV power electronics and their role in solar energy grid integration, including Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems and Advanced Concepts (SEGIS AC).
What is SEGIS AC in the context of this notice?
SEGIS AC refers to Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems, Advanced Concepts. In this RFI, DOE is asking for input related to these advanced concepts and how power electronics improvements could support grid integration and PV system cost and performance goals.
Why is DOE emphasizing power electronics instead of only PV modules?
Based on the workshop findings referenced in the notice, DOE identifies power electronics as a major cost and performance leverage point for PV systems, particularly for enabling higher solar penetration on the grid without relying on subsidies.
What are the main improvement themes DOE highlights?
DOE highlights five themes where power electronics could drive meaningful improvements: economies of scale, advanced components, reliability, smart grid integration, and understanding of system implications.
What does DOE mean by "economies of scale" here?
In this RFI, economies of scale refers to manufacturing and deployment approaches that reduce per-unit cost as production volume and deployment volume increase.
What does DOE mean by "advanced components" in this RFI?
Advanced components include new devices, materials, topologies, and integrated designs that can boost performance and lower cost for PV power electronics.
What does DOE mean by "reliability" for PV power electronics?
Reliability refers to longer-lasting systems with fewer failures and reduced maintenance needs, which can improve system uptime and reduce lifecycle costs.
What does "smart grid integration" refer to in this notice?
Smart grid integration refers to hardware and controls that better support grid operations, communications, and advanced grid services as PV penetration increases.
What does DOE mean by "understanding of system implications"?
This refers to how inverter and power electronics design choices affect the broader PV system, including installation cost, balance-of-system design, operations, overall system value, and other downstream effects.
What types of impacts is DOE looking for respondents to discuss?
DOE is looking for real-world perspectives, data, and ideas that connect power-electronics innovations to total installed PV system cost, including potential impacts on installation complexity, permitting or inspection, system monitoring, maintenance, uptime, and compatibility with emerging grid requirements.
Does DOE want input only about inverter cost?
No. DOE explicitly frames the question around how advances in power electronics influence the cost and effectiveness of the PV system as a whole, not just the inverter itself.
Who is eligible to respond?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning DOE is open to receiving input from essentially any type of entity, subject to any clarifications in the full announcement.
What kinds of organizations might typically respond to this RFI?
The notice indicates DOE is seeking input from stakeholders such as private companies (including inverter and component manufacturers), universities, national laboratories, utilities and grid operators, system integrators and installers, standards and certification organizations, and others with relevant experience in PV power electronics, grid interconnection, and system cost modeling.
Which DOE office is issuing the RFI?
The issuing office is the DOE Golden Field Office.
What is the activity category and CFDA number?
The activity category is Energy. The CFDA number listed is 81.087 (Renewable Energy Research and Development).
What is the funding instrument type?
The funding instrument type is listed as "Other," which is consistent with an RFI rather than a direct grant or procurement solicitation.
What are the key dates for this RFI?
The posting and creation dates are January 11, 2011. The closing date for submissions is February 4, 2011.
Where can the full announcement and instructions be found?
The listing points to FedConnect for access to the full announcement and any specific response instructions: https://www.fedconnect.net
Who is the contact person for help accessing the announcement?
The contact provided is Diana Heyder, Grants and Agreements Specialist. Her email is diana.heyder@go.doe.gov.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
The listing indicates "Yes" for a cost-sharing or matching requirement. However, because this notice is an RFI (with $0 funding), that marking may reflect program norms or anticipated future solicitations connected to the topic. The controlling details would be in the full announcement.
If there is no funding, why respond to an RFI?
While this RFI does not provide awards, DOE notes that RFIs often shape future funding opportunity announcements, program directions, and technical requirements. Responses can influence what DOE decides to fund later and what performance targets or cost metrics become important.
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