Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0000410

  • The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "U.S. Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects" 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 Mar 1, 2012 and posted on Mar 1, 2012.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by May 31, 2012. (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.
  • All types of domestic entities are eligible to apply as prime applicants, excluding other Federal agencies, DOE and non DOE Federally Funded Research and Development Center Contractors (FFRDC), and nonprofit organizations described in section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 that engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995.
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Opportunity Summary:

The U.S. Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0000410) was a U.S. Department of Energy effort, managed through the Golden Field Office, to speed up real-world demonstrations of next-generation offshore wind technology in U.S. waters. The program was built around the idea that offshore wind has enormous technical potential in the United States (the notice cites more than 4,000 GW of gross potential) and is located relatively close to major coastal electricity demand centers, but that the industry needs targeted demonstrations to move from promise to routine, bankable deployment. DOE framed these awards as cooperative agreements, meaning recipients would be expected to work closely with DOE, not simply take funding and operate independently. The overall intent was to pair funding with technical assistance and federal coordination so that projects could move faster, reduce uncertainty for future projects, and help establish a durable domestic offshore wind sector.

The announcement emphasized two primary goals. First, DOE wanted applicants to install innovative offshore wind systems in U.S. waters as quickly as possible while still meeting responsible development expectations, reflecting the need to prove technologies under actual marine conditions rather than only in modeling or small-scale tests. Second, DOE wanted projects that could credibly drive down the levelized cost of energy to below 10 cents per kWh, or to a local "hurdle price" where offshore wind could compete with other regional generation sources without subsidies. In other words, novelty alone was not enough; proposals needed a believable path to substantial cost reduction and competitiveness, which is often tied to improved turbine and foundation designs, streamlined installation methods, better supply chain strategies, and more efficient operations and maintenance approaches.

DOE also laid out the key barriers it expected demonstration projects to tackle. At the time, offshore wind in the U.S. faced comparatively high energy costs, a range of technical and logistical challenges related to installation and grid interconnection, and permitting and approval processes that were still relatively untested at scale. The demonstration concept was meant to de-risk these issues by proving equipment, construction approaches, environmental and stakeholder management practices, interconnection strategies, and overall project execution in multiple regions. The opportunity specifically sought regionally diverse projects, signaling DOE interest in learning across different wind resource conditions, water depths, seabed types, grid constraints, and regulatory environments.

From an applicant standpoint, eligibility was broadly open to domestic entities as prime applicants, with several explicit exclusions. Other federal agencies were not eligible to apply as primes, and DOE and non-DOE Federally Funded Research and Development Center contractors were excluded, as were 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations that had engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995. The notice also made clear that cost sharing was required, so applicants needed to bring non-federal resources to the table, consistent with the idea that serious demonstrations should have meaningful industry and partner investment.

Administratively, applications had to be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE system, and prospective applicants were required to register and create an account there. The full Funding Opportunity Announcement and instructions, including where to direct questions about the announcement content and where to get help with submission issues, were provided on EERE eXCHANGE, along with a user guide hosted on the EERE site. The original and current closing date listed for submissions was May 31, 2012, with an archive date of August 31, 2012. The CFDA program reference was 81.087, Renewable Energy Research and Development. For access issues related to the full announcement, the point of contact listed was David R. Welsh at oswdemo@go.doe.gov.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the name of this funding opportunity?

The opportunity is titled "U.S. Offshore Wind Advanced Technology Demonstration Projects."

What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0000410.

Which agency offered and managed this opportunity?

This was a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) effort, managed through DOE's Golden Field Office.

What is the main purpose of the program?

The program was intended to speed up real-world demonstrations of next-generation offshore wind technology in U.S. waters. DOE positioned the effort as a way to move offshore wind from technical promise to routine, bankable deployment by pairing funding with technical assistance and federal coordination.

Why did DOE consider offshore wind important in this announcement?

The notice cited offshore wind as having enormous technical potential in the United States (more than 4,000 GW of gross potential) and being relatively close to major coastal electricity demand centers.

What type of award instrument did DOE plan to use?

DOE framed these awards as cooperative agreements.

What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?

Based on the announcement description, a cooperative agreement means recipients would be expected to work closely with DOE, rather than simply receiving funds and operating independently. The intent was to combine funding with technical assistance and federal coordination to accelerate progress and reduce uncertainty for future projects.

What were DOE's primary goals for selected projects?

DOE emphasized two primary goals: (1) installing innovative offshore wind systems in U.S. waters as quickly as possible while meeting responsible development expectations, and (2) supporting projects that could credibly drive the levelized cost of energy down to below $0.10/kWh, or to a local "hurdle price" where offshore wind could compete regionally without subsidies.

Did DOE want technology novelty alone, or something more?

Something more. The opportunity stressed that novelty alone was not enough; proposals needed a believable path to major cost reduction and competitiveness.

What cost target did DOE highlight?

DOE highlighted a target of driving the levelized cost of energy to below 10 cents per kWh, or to a local "hurdle price" at which offshore wind could compete with other regional generation sources without subsidies.

What kinds of improvements did DOE connect to cost reduction?

The notice tied cost reduction and competitiveness to areas such as improved turbine and foundation designs, streamlined installation methods, better supply chain strategies, and more efficient operations and maintenance approaches.

What barriers was DOE expecting demonstration projects to address?

The announcement described several barriers, including comparatively high energy costs for offshore wind in the U.S., technical and logistical challenges related to installation and grid interconnection, and permitting and approval processes that were relatively untested at scale at the time.

Why did DOE emphasize real-world demonstrations in U.S. waters?

The opportunity reflected DOE's view that technologies needed to be proven under actual marine conditions, not only through modeling or small-scale tests, to reduce uncertainty and enable bankable deployment.

What was the purpose of the demonstration concept, according to the notice?

The demonstration concept was intended to de-risk offshore wind deployment by proving equipment, construction approaches, environmental and stakeholder management practices, interconnection strategies, and overall project execution.

Did DOE want projects in one location or multiple regions?

DOE specifically sought regionally diverse projects.

Why did DOE seek regionally diverse projects?

The notice signaled DOE's interest in learning across different conditions and constraints, including wind resource conditions, water depths, seabed types, grid constraints, and regulatory environments.

Who could apply as a prime applicant?

Eligibility was broadly open to domestic entities as prime applicants, subject to specific exclusions listed in the notice.

Which organizations were explicitly not eligible to apply as prime applicants?

The notice stated that other federal agencies were not eligible to apply as primes. It also excluded DOE and non-DOE Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) contractors. In addition, 501(c)(4) nonprofit organizations that had engaged in lobbying activities after December 31, 1995 were excluded.

Were there any cost sharing requirements?

Yes. The notice made clear that cost sharing was required, meaning applicants needed to bring non-federal resources to the project.

How were applications required to be submitted?

Applications had to be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE system.

What setup steps were mentioned for submitting through EERE eXCHANGE?

Prospective applicants were required to register and create an account in EERE eXCHANGE.

Where could applicants find the full announcement and detailed instructions?

The full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) and instructions were provided on EERE eXCHANGE. The posting also referenced a user guide hosted on the EERE site.

Where were applicants directed for questions about the announcement content versus submission issues?

The notice indicated that EERE eXCHANGE included instructions on where to direct questions about the announcement content and where to get help with submission issues.

What was the closing date for submissions?

The original and current closing date listed for submissions was May 31, 2012.

What was the archive date for this opportunity?

The archive date listed was August 31, 2012.

What CFDA program reference was associated with this opportunity?

The CFDA program reference was 81.087, Renewable Energy Research and Development.

Who was the point of contact for access issues related to the full announcement?

The point of contact listed for access issues was David R. Welsh, reachable at oswdemo@go.doe.gov.

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