Official Government Website
Registration is open for the National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP):
This is a coalition of stakeholders organized by the U.S. DOE, who are working to expand access to affordable community solar. NCSP plans to accomplish their goal of more affordable community solar through a network of infrastructure, technical assistance and collaboration. DOE will work to equip partners with tools and information needed to design and implement successful community solar models.
DOE Announces Funding for E-ROBOT Prize:
The U.S. DOE has released up to $5 million in funding for their first-ever American Made Buildings Prize on Envelope Retrofit Opportunities for Building Optimization Technologies (E-ROBOT). This prize is meant to incentivize the development and advancement of robotic capabilities and controls for building envelop retrofits. This is the beginning of Phase I of the E-ROBOT prize; researchers, small businesses, students and non-profits based in the U.S. are encouraged to apply. Applications are due May 12, 2021.
DOE to Fund “Connected Community” Projects:
A Connected Community is a group of grid-interactive, efficient buildings with diverse, flexible end use equipment and other distributed energy resources that work together to maximize building, community and grid efficiency. The U.S. DOE will spend up to $65 million a portfolio of Connected Community projects in differing climates and geographies with varying building types, DER structures and resource bases. Concept papers for interested participants are due February 17, 2021.
DOE Announces $60 Million in Funding for Advance Vehicle Technology Research:
The U.S. DOE is looking to support research in battery electrification, advance engine and fuel technologies, vehicle material technology and new mobility systems. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has announced up to $60 million in funding is available for projects that fit into these categories. Concept papers are due February 5, 2021.
DOE Announces $35 million in Funding for Bioenergy Technology Research:
The Bioenergy Technologies Office, under the U.S. DOE is looking to improve the performance and lower the costs and risks of technologies that can be used to produce biofuels, biopower and bioproducts. The two topic areas eligible for funding include bioenergy feedstock technologies and algae production. Concept papers are due February 1, 2021.
DOE Inviting Applications for the Groundbreaking Hydro Prize:
The U.S. DOE has announced the application period is open for the Groundbreaking Hydro Prize under their Water Power Technologies Office. Applicants are asked to develop new ideas for cutting costs, timelines and risks associated with developing hydropower projects. Applications are due by January 31st, 2021.
Application Period is Open for the Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity and the Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Grant:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service is accepting applications for the 2021 Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity and the 2021 Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Grant. The Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity is looking for proposals that significantly expand wood energy and wood product markets that support the long-term management of the National Forest System and other forested lands. The Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Grant was established under the 2018 Farm bill. This grant funds capital costs for installing a community wood energy system, or building an innovative wood production facility. Proposals for the Wood Innovations Funding Opportunity are due January 20, 2021. Proposals for the Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Grant are due February 3, 2021.
DOE Announces $33 million in Funding for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research and Development:
In support of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office, the U.S. DOE is looking to fund research and development into these topics: fuel cells for heavy-duty trucks; hydrogen production through electrolysis; and domestic manufacturing of electrolyzers. These projects will help support the efforts of the H2@Scale, Million Mile Fuel Cell Truck (M2FCT), and H2NEW projects. Concept papers are due January 15, 2021.
New Funding for Solar Hardware and System Integration Research:
The U.S. DOE’s 2021 System Integration and Hardware Incubator program will award up to $45 million to research projects that support the resiliency of the modernized electrical grid through an advancement in solar hardware and system integrations. 10 to 20 awards will be issued, with funding ranging from $500,000 to $25million based on the proposed project. Mandatory letters of intent are due January 11, 2021.
DOE Looking for New Projects to Solve Manufacturing and Advance Material Development:
The U.S. DOE announced up to $3.75 million in funding available under the High Performance Computing for Energy Innovation (HPC4EI) initiative for new projects that use high-performance computing to solve challenges that face domestic manufacturing and advanced materials development. Selected projects will be awarded up to $300,000 to supporting computing cycle and work performed by national labs, universities and non-profit partners. Concept papers are due January 7, 2021.
DOE Announces Funding for SBIR/STTR Program:
The U.S. DOE has announced funding is available for Phase I of their Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STRR) program. U.S. small businesses are encouraged to engage in solar research and technology development, with the potential to commercialize their product. DOE has released a list of topic areas they are interested in funding research in, that list can be viewed by following the link in the title. Mandatory letters of intent are due January 4, 2021.
DOE’s Smart Manufacturing Institute Announces New Project Challenge:
The US DOE’s Clean Energy, Smart Manufacturing, Innovation Institute (CESMII) is requesting proposals for projects that will address smart manufacturing challenges, specifically research and development projects that can apply smart manufacturing solutions to real-world manufacturing process and operation challenges that enable improved energy productivity, performance, quality and efficiency. Up to $4 million is available for this Round of proposals. Proposals are due by December 31, 2020.
For further funding opportunities please follow this link to DOE Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Office’s Funding Opportunity Exchange.
For additional funding opportunities from USDA please follow this link: https://nifa.usda.gov/page/search-grant. If you are looking for energy-related program opportunities, please use the filters located on the USDA’s webpage; this link is to a list of all of USDA’s funding opportunities.