Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000651
Apply for DE FOA 0000651
- The Headquarters in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "SunShot Incubator Program" 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 May 9, 2012 and posted on Feb 7, 2012.
- Applicants must submit their applications by May 29, 2012. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $12,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Prime recipients must be a startup business incorporated in the United States and must incur at least 60 of expenditures under the project, as measured by the Total Project Cost. For the purposes of eligibility to apply to this FOA, the term startup business is defined as an entity with less than 500 employees not including the employees of any parent companies, subsidiaries or other affiliated companies.
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Opportunity Summary:
The SunShot Incubator Program (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000651) is a U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Initiative grant opportunity designed to help small American startups move from early-stage concepts into real-world commercialization and deployment of solar-related technologies and business solutions. It sits within the broader SunShot Initiative goal of cutting the installed cost of solar energy systems by 75 percent by the end of the decade, with the practical aim of reaching grid parity so solar can compete without subsidies. The program is framed around accelerating U.S. innovation, strengthening domestic manufacturing, and pushing new technology into the market in ways that support long-term economic competitiveness and energy security.
This particular Incubator program is focused less on basic research and more on the hard middle steps that typically stall promising ideas: scaling up, proving manufacturability, validating performance, reducing cost, building supply chains, navigating standards and interconnection requirements, and overcoming adoption barriers that keep solutions from being deployed broadly. Proposals are expected to target clear commercialization and deployment barriers with an emphasis on near-term market impact, specifically calling out a focus on activities that could enable scale-up and deployment by 2015. A central expectation is that awardees become independent, self-sustaining businesses by the end of the project period. In other words, the DOE is not looking to fund efforts that will require ongoing government support to survive; the intent is to catalyze market-ready companies and solutions that can stand on their own financially after the award ends.
The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates that DOE expects substantial involvement during the project (for example, technical collaboration, milestones, and active project management) rather than a hands-off grant. The opportunity was posted February 7, 2012, with an application deadline of May 29, 2012, and an estimated total funding amount of $12,000,000. The notice lists no specific award floor or ceiling, suggesting award sizes could vary depending on the merits, scope, and budget of selected projects.
Eligibility is aimed at U.S.-incorporated startup businesses. For this FOA, a startup is defined as a company with fewer than 500 employees, not counting employees of any parent companies, subsidiaries, or affiliated entities. In addition, the prime recipient must incur at least 60 percent of the project expenditures, measured by total project cost, which signals DOE wants the core work and spending anchored within the startup itself rather than being mostly subcontracted out. The opportunity indicates no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
Programmatically, DOE highlights a wide range of solar-related areas of interest, and the list is explicitly not limited to those items. Priority themes include photovoltaics, balance of system components (the hardware and integration pieces around panels, like mounting, wiring, and racking), power electronics (such as inverters and related control technologies), concentrating solar power, and energy storage. It also calls attention to “non-hardware” or soft-cost reduction tools, including approaches that reduce permitting, inspection, interconnection, customer acquisition, and installation overhead. Other emphasized areas include plug-and-play wiring and installation techniques that simplify deployment, and more broadly, novel and non-incremental technologies that can materially move the market toward SunShot cost and deployment goals.
Administratively, the program is categorized under Energy and tied to CFDA number 81.087 (Renewable Energy Research and Development). The sponsoring agency is the Department of Energy (Headquarters). The announcement provides a point of contact for access issues or questions: Mary A. Barnes (202-287-1526, mary.barnes@hq.doe.gov). The full announcement was hosted through FedConnect, referenced via the additional information link included in the notice.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): SunShot Incubator Program (DE-FOA-0000651)
What is the SunShot Incubator Program (DE-FOA-0000651)?
The SunShot Incubator Program is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) SunShot Initiative funding opportunity designed to help small American startups move early-stage solar-related concepts into real-world commercialization and deployment. It emphasizes practical steps that bring technologies and business solutions into the market, rather than basic research.
What is the main goal of the broader SunShot Initiative?
The SunShot Initiative aims to cut the installed cost of solar energy systems by 75 percent by the end of the decade, with the practical aim of reaching grid parity so solar can compete without subsidies.
What kinds of projects is this Incubator program meant to support?
This Incubator program is focused on addressing the "hard middle" steps that often stall promising ideas, such as scaling up, proving manufacturability, validating performance, reducing cost, building supply chains, navigating standards and interconnection requirements, and overcoming adoption barriers that prevent broad deployment.
Is this funding intended for basic research?
No. The opportunity is focused less on basic research and more on commercialization and deployment barriers, with an emphasis on near-term market impact.
What does DOE mean by "commercialization and deployment barriers"?
Based on the notice, barriers include challenges like scaling a solution beyond prototypes, demonstrating manufacturability, validating performance in practical settings, reducing costs, developing supply chains, meeting standards, addressing interconnection requirements, and overcoming adoption hurdles that slow market uptake.
How soon is DOE expecting market impact from funded projects?
The notice emphasizes near-term market impact and specifically calls out activities that could enable scale-up and deployment by 2015.
What is the expectation for companies at the end of the project?
A central expectation is that awardees become independent, self-sustaining businesses by the end of the project period. The intent is to catalyze market-ready companies and solutions that can stand on their own financially after the award ends.
Does DOE expect to provide ongoing support after the award ends?
No. The program is not framed as support for efforts that will require ongoing government funding to survive. The stated intent is to accelerate market-ready solutions that do not depend on continued government support.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The funding mechanism is a cooperative agreement.
What does a cooperative agreement imply for awardees?
A cooperative agreement generally indicates substantial DOE involvement during the project, such as technical collaboration, milestones, and active project management, rather than a hands-off grant.
When was this opportunity posted, and what was the application deadline?
The opportunity was posted on February 7, 2012, and the application deadline was May 29, 2012.
How much total funding is estimated for this opportunity?
The estimated total funding amount listed in the notice is $12,000,000.
Is there a minimum or maximum award amount stated?
No. The notice lists no specific award floor or award ceiling, indicating award sizes could vary depending on the merits, scope, and budget of selected projects.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is aimed at U.S.-incorporated startup businesses, as defined in the funding opportunity.
How does this FOA define a startup business?
For this FOA, a startup is defined as a company with fewer than 500 employees, not counting employees of any parent companies, subsidiaries, or affiliated entities.
Are employee counts from parent or affiliated companies included?
No. The definition explicitly excludes employees of any parent companies, subsidiaries, or affiliated entities from the startup employee count.
Does the startup need to perform most of the project work itself?
Yes. The prime recipient must incur at least 60 percent of the project expenditures, measured by total project cost. This signals DOE wants the core work and spending anchored within the startup rather than primarily subcontracted out.
Is cost sharing or matching required?
No. The opportunity indicates no cost-sharing or matching requirement.
What solar-related topic areas are highlighted as priorities?
DOE highlights a broad range of areas of interest, including photovoltaics, balance of system components, power electronics (such as inverters and control technologies), concentrating solar power, and energy storage.
What are "balance of system" components in this context?
Balance of system components refer to the hardware and integration elements around solar panels, such as mounting, wiring, and racking, as described in the notice.
Does the FOA include "soft cost" or non-hardware solutions?
Yes. The notice explicitly calls out non-hardware or soft-cost reduction tools, including approaches that reduce permitting, inspection, interconnection, customer acquisition, and installation overhead.
Are plug-and-play installation approaches relevant to this program?
Yes. DOE emphasizes plug-and-play wiring and installation techniques that simplify deployment.
Does the opportunity limit applicants to only the listed topic areas?
No. The notice states the list of solar-related areas of interest is explicitly not limited to the items mentioned.
What kind of innovation is DOE seeking?
The notice emphasizes novel and non-incremental technologies that can materially move the market toward SunShot cost and deployment goals.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The program is tied to CFDA number 81.087 (Renewable Energy Research and Development).
Which agency sponsors this funding opportunity?
The sponsoring agency is the U.S. Department of Energy (Headquarters).
Where was the full announcement hosted?
The full announcement was hosted through FedConnect, referenced via the additional information link included in the notice.
Who is the point of contact for access issues or questions?
The notice lists Mary A. Barnes as the point of contact for access issues or questions. Phone: 202-287-1526. Email: mary.barnes@hq.doe.gov.
What is the stated program category for this opportunity?
Administratively, the program is categorized under Energy.
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