Opportunity Information: Apply for 11 590
Apply for 11 590
- The National Science Foundation in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Sustainable Energy Pathways" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 47.041 Engineering Grants 47.049 Mathematical and Physical Sciences 47.050 Geosciences 47.070 Computer and Information Science and Engineering 47.075 Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jan 10, 2014 and posted on Sep 22, 2011.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Opportunity NSF 11 590 has been archived on PIMS. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- The funding agency has allocated a total of $34,000,000.00 to eligible and selected applicants.
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
- Organization Limit Proposals may only be submitted by the following Proposals may be submitted by U.S. academic institutions that have research and degree granting education programs in any area of research supported by NSF.U.S. academic institutions include universities as well as two and four year colleges (including community colleges) accredited in, and having a campus located in the U.S., acting on behalf of their faculty members. Proposals may also be submitted by non profit, non academic organizations, including independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies and similar organizations in the U.S. associated with educational or research activities. PI Limit A minimum of three investigators is required, the Principal Investigator (PI) and two or more co PIs from the lead or participating institutions who are eligible to serve as PI or co PI on NSF proposals submitted through their respective institutions. These investigators should represent more than one scientific discipline in order to ensure an interdisciplinary approach to sustainable energy.
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Opportunity Summary:
Sustainable Energy Pathways (NSF 11-590) was a National Science Foundation grant opportunity under the agency-wide Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) initiative. Its core aim was to drive basic, interdisciplinary research and education that helps chart practical, scalable routes to a sustainable energy future, meaning energy systems that meet human needs fairly while minimizing environmental harm and protecting the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The solicitation framed sustainable energy as a grand challenge that cannot be solved within a single field, pointing to the growing evidence linking energy use to global change and the real limits of current energy choices. NSF positioned this program as a way to mobilize science and engineering discovery, alongside education, to build more secure and prosperous long-term energy systems.
The program emphasized systems-level approaches rather than isolated component advances. Proposed projects were expected to integrate scientific, technical, environmental, economic, and societal considerations to develop sustainable energy pathways that could work at multiple scales of energy production and use. In practical terms, NSF was looking for research teams that could connect fundamental understanding (for example, materials behavior, physical processes, biological inspiration, or computational methods) with broader questions about how energy is generated, stored, delivered, and used in real settings, and what tradeoffs arise when impacts, costs, and human factors are taken seriously.
The solicitation identified several topic areas to illustrate the breadth of interest. These included energy harvesting and conversion from renewable resources; sustainable energy storage solutions; critical elements and materials for sustainable energy technologies; nature-inspired processes for sustainable energy solutions; reducing the carbon intensity of energy conversion and use; sustainable energy transmission and distribution; and energy efficiency and management. Together, these topics covered the full energy chain, from primary energy capture to end-use efficiency, and encouraged innovations that could reduce emissions, improve reliability, and address constraints like limited or fragile supply chains for key materials.
From an administrative and funding standpoint, this was a discretionary grant program in the science and technology research and development category. NSF anticipated about 20 awards, with an estimated total program funding level of $34,000,000. Individual awards were expected to fall between $500,000 (award floor) and $2,000,000 (award ceiling). No cost sharing or matching was required. The opportunity was posted on September 22, 2011, with a full proposal deadline of February 1, 2012, and it was later archived (archive date January 10, 2014).
Eligibility was centered on U.S.-based organizations with strong research or educational missions. Proposals could be submitted by U.S. academic institutions that are accredited and have a U.S. campus, including universities, four-year colleges, two-year colleges, and community colleges, acting on behalf of their faculty. Nonprofit, non-academic U.S. organizations were also eligible, including independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar entities tied to research or education. A key structural requirement was team composition: proposals needed a minimum of three investigators, consisting of one principal investigator and at least two co-principal investigators, and the investigators were expected to represent more than one scientific discipline to ensure genuine interdisciplinary collaboration.
The program aligned with multiple NSF funding activity areas, reflected in the CFDA listings: Engineering (47.041), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (47.049), Geosciences (47.050), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (47.070), and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (47.075). That spread underscored the solicitation's intent to support work that crosses traditional boundaries, including research that incorporates computational and data-driven methods, earth system considerations, and social and economic dimensions alongside core engineering and physical science advances.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the Sustainable Energy Pathways (NSF 11-590) opportunity?
Sustainable Energy Pathways (NSF 11-590) was a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant opportunity offered under NSF's agency-wide Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) initiative. It focused on basic, interdisciplinary research and education aimed at identifying practical, scalable routes to a sustainable energy future.
What was the main goal of the program?
The core goal was to support research and education that help chart sustainable energy pathways, defined as energy systems that meet human needs fairly while minimizing environmental harm and protecting the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
How did NSF describe the challenge this program aimed to address?
The solicitation framed sustainable energy as a grand challenge that cannot be solved within a single field. It pointed to growing evidence linking energy use to global change and highlighted real limits of current energy choices.
What kinds of projects did NSF want to fund?
NSF emphasized systems-level approaches rather than isolated advances in individual components. Projects were expected to integrate scientific, technical, environmental, economic, and societal considerations and connect fundamental understanding to real-world questions about energy generation, storage, delivery, and use.
What does "systems-level approach" mean in this solicitation?
In this program, a systems-level approach meant considering the full context of energy technologies and pathways, including impacts, costs, tradeoffs, and human factors, rather than focusing narrowly on a single device, material, or subsystem in isolation.
Was the program focused only on research, or did it include education as well?
It included both. The program aimed to mobilize science and engineering discovery alongside education to help build more secure and prosperous long-term energy systems.
What topic areas were highlighted in the solicitation?
The solicitation listed several illustrative areas of interest, including: energy harvesting and conversion from renewable resources; sustainable energy storage solutions; critical elements and materials for sustainable energy technologies; nature-inspired processes for sustainable energy solutions; reducing the carbon intensity of energy conversion and use; sustainable energy transmission and distribution; and energy efficiency and management.
Did the program cover the entire energy chain?
Yes. The topics spanned the energy chain from primary energy capture through conversion, storage, transmission/distribution, and end-use efficiency and management.
What types of considerations were proposals expected to integrate?
Proposals were expected to integrate scientific and technical aspects with environmental, economic, and societal considerations, including the tradeoffs that emerge when impacts, costs, and human factors are addressed seriously.
What was the grant type and program category?
This was a discretionary grant program in the science and technology research and development category.
How many awards did NSF anticipate making?
NSF anticipated making about 20 awards under this opportunity.
What was the estimated total funding available for the program?
The estimated total program funding level was $34,000,000.
What was the expected award size?
Individual awards were expected to range from $500,000 (award floor) to $2,000,000 (award ceiling).
Was cost sharing or matching required?
No. The solicitation specified that no cost sharing or matching was required.
When was the opportunity posted, and what was the proposal deadline?
The opportunity was posted on September 22, 2011, and the full proposal deadline was February 1, 2012.
Is this solicitation still active?
No. It was later archived, with an archive date of January 10, 2014.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility focused on U.S.-based organizations with strong research or educational missions. Eligible applicants included accredited U.S. academic institutions with a U.S. campus (universities, four-year colleges, two-year colleges, and community colleges) submitting on behalf of their faculty, as well as U.S. nonprofit, non-academic organizations such as independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar entities tied to research or education.
Were nonprofit, non-academic organizations allowed to apply?
Yes. Eligible nonprofit, non-academic U.S. organizations included independent museums, observatories, research laboratories, professional societies, and similar research- or education-oriented entities.
What team composition was required for proposals?
Proposals were required to include a minimum of three investigators: one principal investigator (PI) and at least two co-principal investigators (co-PIs).
Did the solicitation require interdisciplinary teams?
Yes. Investigators were expected to represent more than one scientific discipline to ensure genuine interdisciplinary collaboration.
What disciplines and NSF areas did the program align with?
The program aligned with multiple NSF funding activity areas reflected in CFDA listings: Engineering (47.041), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (47.049), Geosciences (47.050), Computer and Information Science and Engineering (47.070), and Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (47.075).
Why were social, economic, and societal dimensions included?
The solicitation emphasized that sustainable energy pathways require more than technical advances; they also involve economic and societal considerations and the tradeoffs that arise when real-world impacts, costs, and human factors are taken into account.
What kinds of foundational research connections did NSF encourage?
NSF encouraged teams to connect fundamental understanding (such as materials behavior, physical processes, biological inspiration, or computational methods) with broader questions about sustainable energy generation, storage, delivery, and use in real settings.
What overarching program initiative was this part of?
It was part of NSF's Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) initiative.
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