Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001600
Apply for DE FOA 0001600
- The DOE-GFO in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "RFI: Medium and Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Electric Truck Targets" 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 Jun 10, 2016 and posted on Jun 10, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 11, 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 $2.00 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), through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and its Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO), issued a Request for Information (RFI) titled "Medium and Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Electric Truck Targets" (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0001600). This notice is not a traditional grant solicitation and does not provide funding, awards, or an application pathway. Instead, it is an information-gathering effort designed to help DOE and industry align on practical, competitive performance and cost targets for medium- and heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks (FCETs).
The RFI is rooted in DOE's broader goal of accelerating hydrogen and fuel cell technology adoption to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve domestic energy security, and enhance air quality. DOE highlights that medium- and heavy-duty trucks (roughly Class 3 through Class 8, spanning about 10,000 to 80,000 pounds) cover a wide range of real-world uses, including delivery vans, tractor trailers, flatbeds, and other vocational vehicles. Because these trucks are a major consumer of petroleum in the U.S. transportation sector (cited as 28 percent in EIA 2015 data), DOE views decarbonizing this segment as a high-impact opportunity where fuel cells and hydrogen could play a meaningful role, particularly for high-utilization duty cycles and long-range operations.
A central focus of the RFI is target-setting. FCTO has an established practice of working with industry to set forward-looking technology targets for future years (the notice references examples like "2020 targets") based on what would be required for fuel cell and hydrogen solutions to be competitive with incumbent technologies (primarily diesel) and other advanced options. These targets function as benchmarks that stakeholders can use to measure progress, compare systems, and prioritize research and development. DOE notes that it already tracks targets for hydrogen production, hydrogen delivery, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells for light-duty vehicles, and the intent here is to extend and adapt a similar target framework to the medium- and heavy-duty truck space, which has different operating requirements and economic constraints.
The information DOE is trying to collect is meant to come directly from the organizations closest to real-world deployment and manufacturing. The RFI explicitly seeks feedback from truck operators, truck manufacturers, hydrogen tank manufacturers, fuel cell manufacturers, hydrogen station and station-equipment designers, and other relevant stakeholders. In practice, this means DOE is looking for grounded, experience-based input on what performance levels, durability, fueling characteristics, system integration needs, and cost trajectories would make FCETs viable across different truck classes and vocations. While the announcement text does not enumerate specific questions in the excerpt provided, RFIs of this type typically aim to capture viewpoints on key metrics such as vehicle range expectations, payload impacts, fuel economy, refueling time, uptime, total cost of ownership, component lifetimes (for stacks and balance-of-plant), hydrogen storage system performance, and the station capabilities needed to fuel heavy-duty fleets efficiently.
Administratively, DOE emphasizes that this is solely a request for information, not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). DOE is not accepting applications, does not plan to make awards under this notice, and will not respond to questions about the RFI. Responses were required to be submitted electronically as email attachments by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on July 11, 2016, to FCTrucktargets@ee.doe.gov. The full announcement was posted on the EERE Exchange website (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/). The opportunity was categorized as discretionary, with an "Other" funding instrument type, a CFDA number of 81.087, and unrestricted eligibility in the sense that any type of entity could respond, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full text.
In short, this RFI was DOE's mechanism for gathering industry and stakeholder input to define credible, competitive technology targets for medium- and heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks and their supporting hydrogen infrastructure. The output DOE is aiming for is a set of benchmarks that can guide R&D investments, enable transparent performance tracking, and help the market understand what it will take for hydrogen fuel cell trucks to compete at scale in demanding commercial freight and vocational applications.
FAQs: DOE RFI - Medium and Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Electric Truck Targets (DE-FOA-0001600)
What is DE-FOA-0001600?
DE-FOA-0001600 is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Request for Information (RFI) titled "Medium and Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Electric Truck Targets," issued through DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and its Fuel Cell Technologies Office (FCTO).
Is this a grant or funding opportunity?
No. This notice is not a traditional grant solicitation and it does not provide funding, awards, or an application pathway. It is an information-gathering effort only.
What is the purpose of this RFI?
The purpose is to collect stakeholder input that helps DOE and industry align on practical, competitive performance and cost targets for medium- and heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks (FCETs).
Who issued the RFI?
The RFI was issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through EERE and FCTO.
Why is DOE focused on medium- and heavy-duty trucks?
DOE identifies medium- and heavy-duty trucks as a high-impact decarbonization opportunity because they are a major consumer of petroleum in the U.S. transportation sector (cited as 28 percent using EIA 2015 data). DOE also notes fuel cells and hydrogen may be especially relevant for high-utilization duty cycles and long-range operations.
What truck classes are covered by this RFI?
The RFI focuses on medium- and heavy-duty trucks roughly spanning Class 3 through Class 8 (about 10,000 to 80,000 pounds), covering many real-world use cases.
What types of vehicles or applications does DOE mention?
DOE references a wide range of trucks and vocations, including delivery vans, tractor trailers, flatbeds, and other vocational vehicles.
What does DOE mean by "targets" in this RFI?
Targets are forward-looking performance and cost benchmarks for future years that reflect what fuel cell and hydrogen solutions would need to achieve to be competitive with incumbent technologies (primarily diesel) and other advanced options. They are intended to help measure progress, compare systems, and prioritize research and development.
How does this effort relate to DOE's existing hydrogen and fuel cell targets?
DOE notes it already tracks targets for hydrogen production, hydrogen delivery, hydrogen storage, and fuel cells for light-duty vehicles. The intent of this RFI is to extend and adapt a similar target framework to medium- and heavy-duty trucks, which have different operating requirements and economic constraints.
Who is DOE asking to respond to the RFI?
DOE explicitly seeks feedback from stakeholders closest to deployment and manufacturing, including truck operators, truck manufacturers, hydrogen tank manufacturers, fuel cell manufacturers, hydrogen station and station-equipment designers, and other relevant stakeholders.
What kinds of information is DOE trying to collect?
DOE is seeking grounded, experience-based input on performance levels, durability, fueling characteristics, system integration needs, and cost trajectories that would make FCETs viable across different truck classes and vocations.
What example metrics does the RFI context suggest may be relevant?
While the excerpt does not list specific RFI questions, it indicates interest in real-world considerations such as range expectations, payload impacts, fuel economy, refueling time, uptime, total cost of ownership, component lifetimes (stack and balance-of-plant), hydrogen storage system performance, and hydrogen station capabilities needed to fuel heavy-duty fleets efficiently.
Is this notice a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)?
No. DOE emphasizes that this is solely a Request for Information (RFI), not a FOA, and it is not accepting applications.
Can an organization apply for an award under this notice?
No. DOE states it does not plan to make awards under this notice.
Does DOE provide a way to ask questions or receive responses about the RFI?
No. DOE states it will not respond to questions about the RFI.
How were responses submitted?
Responses were required to be submitted electronically as email attachments.
What was the submission deadline?
Responses were due by 5:00 PM Eastern Time on July 11, 2016.
What email address was used to submit responses?
Responses were submitted to FCTrucktargets@ee.doe.gov.
Where was the full announcement posted?
The full announcement was posted on the EERE Exchange website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.
What is the stated broader goal behind this RFI?
The RFI is rooted in DOE's goal of accelerating hydrogen and fuel cell technology adoption to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve domestic energy security, and enhance air quality.
What funding instrument type and program identification details are associated with this notice?
The opportunity was categorized as discretionary, with an "Other" funding instrument type, and it listed CFDA number 81.087.
Who was eligible to respond?
Eligibility was described as unrestricted in the sense that any type of entity could respond, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full text.
What is DOE ultimately trying to produce from the RFI?
DOE is aiming to develop credible, competitive benchmarks (technology targets) for medium- and heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks and their supporting hydrogen infrastructure to guide R&D investments, enable transparent performance tracking, and clarify what it will take for hydrogen fuel cell trucks to compete at scale in commercial freight and vocational applications.
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