Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000479
Apply for DE FOA 0000479
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "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 Apr 12, 2011 and posted on Apr 8, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 23, 2011 Preliminary Applications Due May 9, 2011 Invitations for Full Applications Sent May 23, 2011 Full Applications Due June 23, 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:
The Department of Energy (DOE), through its Golden Field Office, released the funding opportunity titled "Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems - Advanced Concepts" (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000479) to support research, development, and field demonstration projects focused on improving photovoltaic (PV) power electronics. The central aim is to drive down total PV system costs while also making it easier for electric grids to accommodate high levels of solar generation without sacrificing reliability or safety. This opportunity is positioned as a direct contributor to the SunShot Initiative, DOE's major push during that period to cut the total installed cost of solar energy systems (including installer margin) by roughly 75 percent before the end of the decade, ultimately making solar cost-competitive with conventional fossil-fuel-based electricity.
A key theme of the announcement is that power electronics sit at the heart of grid-connected solar performance and economics. Power electronics include the hardware and control systems that convert PV output into grid-compatible electricity and manage how PV systems behave during normal operation and grid disturbances. DOE is looking for technologies that not only reduce the cost of these components, but also expand what PV systems can do for the grid. The FOA highlights capabilities such as reactive power support, integration of energy storage, and other advanced control functions that help PV systems operate as "grid-friendly" resources rather than passive generators. Alongside functionality, the DOE emphasizes improving performance, reliability, and safety, recognizing that lower lifetime costs depend heavily on durable equipment, fewer failures, and reduced operations and maintenance needs.
The opportunity reflects DOE's view that meaningful cost reductions in PV power electronics can come from several distinct areas. First is economies of scale, meaning design and manufacturing approaches that enable higher-volume production at lower unit cost. Second is the use of advanced components, which can include improved semiconductor devices, packaging, thermal management, magnetics, and control architectures that boost efficiency and reduce size, weight, or material costs. Third is reliability, with an expectation that proposed technologies will address failure mechanisms and deliver longer service life under real-world operating conditions. Fourth is smart grid integration, which covers advanced inverter functions and communications that support voltage regulation, frequency response, ride-through behavior, and other grid-support features needed at high solar penetration. Fifth is a deeper understanding of system implications, meaning DOE is not only interested in improving a single device, but also in how changes in power electronics ripple through the entire PV system in terms of installation complexity, permitting, interconnection, maintenance, and overall balance-of-system cost and performance.
Applications under this FOA were organized into two main topic areas. Topic 1, Smart Grid Functionality, targets power electronics innovations that make PV systems more capable participants in modern grid operations, particularly as solar penetration rises. This includes advanced inverter controls and features that help maintain grid stability, manage voltage and reactive power, coordinate with storage, and enable new operational modes that utilities and system operators increasingly require. Topic 2, Using Power Electronics to Address Balance of System Costs, focuses on innovations that reduce non-module costs tied to PV deployment, such as installation labor, wiring and combiner equipment, system architecture, and other integration-related expenses. The idea is that smarter or more integrated electronics can simplify system design, shorten installation time, reduce component count, and improve overall project economics.
From an administrative standpoint, the FOA was categorized as discretionary funding, with awards anticipated as cooperative agreements and/or grants, and it carried a cost-sharing requirement. The CFDA program number associated with it is 81.087 (Renewable Energy Research and Development). Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types could apply, subject to any clarifications in the full FOA text. The funding notice was posted in April 2011, with a structured submission schedule that included preliminary applications due May 9, 2011, invitations for full applications sent May 23, 2011, and full applications due June 23, 2011 (the closing date). While the extracted record lists estimated total funding and award floor/ceiling as 0, those fields often appear as placeholders in summary feeds; the definitive details would be contained in the complete FOA documentation.
All application submissions were required to go through the EERE eXCHANGE portal, DOE's online system for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy funding opportunities, and applicants needed to register and create an account before submitting. The full announcement and instructions were hosted on the EERE eXCHANGE website, with a user guide available through EERE for navigating the system. For access problems with the full announcement, the listed point of contact was Christina Raines, Grants and Agreements Specialist, reachable at christina.raines@go.doe.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is titled "Solar Energy Grid Integration Systems - Advanced Concepts".
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0000479.
Which agency and office are offering this opportunity?
This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through its Golden Field Office.
What is the main goal of this FOA?
The central goal is to support research, development, and field demonstration projects that improve photovoltaic (PV) power electronics in ways that (1) reduce total PV system costs and (2) help electric grids accommodate high levels of solar generation without reducing reliability or safety.
How does this FOA relate to the SunShot Initiative?
The FOA is positioned as a direct contributor to DOE's SunShot Initiative, which aimed to reduce the total installed cost of solar energy systems (including installer margin) by roughly 75 percent before the end of that decade, helping make solar cost-competitive with conventional fossil-fuel-based electricity.
What does DOE mean by "PV power electronics" in this FOA?
In this FOA, PV power electronics refers to the hardware and control systems that convert PV output into grid-compatible electricity and manage how PV systems behave during normal operation and during grid disturbances.
Why are power electronics so central to this opportunity?
DOE highlights power electronics as a key driver of both grid-connected PV performance and PV economics. The FOA emphasizes lowering component costs while also expanding PV functionality so systems can act as more "grid-friendly" resources rather than passive generators.
What kinds of grid-support capabilities are emphasized?
The FOA highlights advanced capabilities such as reactive power support, integration of energy storage, and other advanced control functions that support grid operations, especially during disturbances and at higher solar penetration levels.
What performance outcomes does DOE emphasize besides cost?
DOE emphasizes improvements in performance, reliability, and safety. The FOA notes that lower lifetime costs depend on durable equipment, fewer failures, and reduced operations and maintenance needs.
What are the main technical areas where DOE expects PV power electronics cost reductions?
The FOA describes several areas where meaningful cost reductions may come from, including:
- Economies of scale (design and manufacturing approaches enabling higher-volume production and lower unit cost)
- Advanced components (improved semiconductor devices, packaging, thermal management, magnetics, and control architectures that improve efficiency and reduce size/weight/material costs)
- Reliability improvements (addressing failure mechanisms and extending service life in real-world conditions)
- Smart grid integration (advanced inverter functions and communications supporting voltage regulation, frequency response, ride-through behavior, and other grid-support features)
- System-level implications (understanding how power electronics changes affect installation, permitting, interconnection, maintenance, and balance-of-system cost/performance)
What are the topic areas under this FOA?
Applications were organized into two topic areas:
- Topic 1: Smart Grid Functionality
- Topic 2: Using Power Electronics to Address Balance of System Costs
What is Topic 1 (Smart Grid Functionality) focused on?
Topic 1 targets power electronics innovations that make PV systems more capable participants in modern grid operations as solar penetration increases. This includes advanced inverter controls and features that help maintain grid stability, manage voltage and reactive power, coordinate with storage, and enable operational modes utilities and system operators increasingly require.
What is Topic 2 (Using Power Electronics to Address Balance of System Costs) focused on?
Topic 2 focuses on power electronics innovations that reduce non-module costs tied to PV deployment, such as installation labor, wiring and combiner equipment, PV system architecture, and other integration-related expenses. The FOA frames this as using smarter or more integrated electronics to simplify system design, shorten installation time, reduce component count, and improve overall project economics.
What types of projects are supported (R&D vs. demonstration)?
The FOA supports research, development, and field demonstration projects focused on improving PV power electronics and grid integration outcomes.
What type of funding mechanism does DOE anticipate using?
The FOA is described as discretionary funding, with awards anticipated as cooperative agreements and/or grants.
Is cost sharing required?
Yes. The FOA includes a cost-sharing requirement.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The CFDA program number listed is 81.087 (Renewable Energy Research and Development).
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning a wide range of entity types could apply, subject to any clarifications in the full FOA text.
When was the funding notice posted?
The funding notice was posted in April 2011.
What was the submission schedule for this FOA?
The schedule included:
- Preliminary applications due: May 9, 2011
- Invitations for full applications sent: May 23, 2011
- Full applications due (closing date): June 23, 2011
Was this a two-step application process?
Yes. Based on the listed dates, applicants first submitted a preliminary application, then DOE sent invitations for full applications, followed by submission of the full application by the closing date.
Where were applications required to be submitted?
All submissions were required through the EERE eXCHANGE portal (DOE's online system for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy funding opportunities).
Do applicants need to register to apply?
Yes. Applicants needed to register and create an account in EERE eXCHANGE before submitting.
Where could applicants find the full announcement and instructions?
The full announcement and instructions were hosted on the EERE eXCHANGE website. A user guide was also available through EERE for navigating the system.
What should an applicant do if they cannot access the full announcement?
For access problems with the full announcement, the listed point of contact is Christina Raines, Grants and Agreements Specialist, at christina.raines@go.doe.gov.
How much total funding was available and what were the award sizes?
The extracted record lists estimated total funding and award floor/ceiling as 0, which is noted as potentially placeholder information in summary feeds. The definitive amounts would be provided in the complete FOA documentation.
What broader system impacts does DOE want applicants to consider?
DOE indicates interest not only in improving a single device, but also in understanding how power electronics changes affect the broader PV system, including installation complexity, permitting, interconnection, maintenance, and overall balance-of-system cost and performance.
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