2023 DOE Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization

Please see the full solicitation for complete information about the funding opportunity. Below is a summary assembled by the Research & Innovation Office (RIO). Please reference the full solicitation for cost-share details.

Program Summary

This FOA will fund high-impact, applied research and development and prototype or pilot-scale technology validation and demonstration projects to advance the transformational technologies and innovations necessary to reduce energy use and GHG emissions in the industrial sector. This FOA advances the strategies identified in the Industrial Decarbonization Roadmap and will focus on cross-sector approaches for industrial decarbonization (thermal processing, exploratory cross-sector topics, and low carbon fuels utilization) along with high GHG-emitting subsectors (chemicals, iron and steel, food and beverage, cement and concrete, and forest products). The focus will be energy-related emissions as well as non-energy-related process emissions (e.g., CO2 from the calcination process in cement production). Cross-sector approaches include RD&D on components and equipment systems, technologies with broad applications across the industrial sector, and the integration of technology in industry-specific conditions.

By accelerating the development and adoption of sustainable technologies that increase efficiency and eliminate industrial GHG emissions, the RD&D activities to be funded under this FOA will contribute to a clean and equitable energy economy, bolster the technological and economic competitiveness of domestic manufacturing, and boost the viability and competitiveness of U.S. industrial technology exports.

Awards will be made at one of two funding levels: 

  • Tier 1 projects are primarily focused on TRL 4 and TRL 5 R&D activities to validate technology components in a laboratory or relevant environment. For select areas of interest (AOIs) (Topic 1 AOIs 1 and 2, Topic 2 AOIs 1 and 2, Subtopic 3a AOI 1, Subtopic 3b, and Topic 4), efforts can begin in TRL 3. The cost share for Tier 1 projects must be at least 20% of the total allowable costs.
  • Tier 2 projects can include activities in TRL 4 and 5 but must also include scope to include TRL 6 and/or TRL 7 to conduct system/subsystem prototype or pilot-scale technology validation in a relevant or operational environment. Tier 2 projects should be organized into distinct phases and should include Phase 2 and/or Phase 3, below:
    • Phase 1: Research and development (optional)
    • Phase 2: Design and testing
    • Phase 3: Installation and demonstration

Tier 2 applications with technology demonstration integrated into industrial operations must include Phase 3. The cost share for Phase 1 and Phase 2 must be at least 20% of the total allowable costs. For Phase 3, the demonstration phase, the cost share must be at least 50% of total allowable costs. Reference the full solicitation for cost-share requirements.

Topic Areas

1. Decarbonizing Industrial Heat

2. Low-Carbon Fuels Utilization R&D

3a. Enabling Flexible Industrial Energy Use

3b. Enhanced Thermal Conductivity Materials

4. Decarbonizing Chemicals

5. Decarbonizing Iron and Steel

6. Decarbonizing Food and Beverage Products

7. Decarbonizing Cement and Concrete

8. Decarbonizing Paper and Forest Products

Deadlines

CU Internal Deadline: 11:59pm MST April 3, 2023

DOE Concept Paper Deadline: 3:00pm MST April 17, 2023

DOE Application Deadline: 3:00pm MST June 23, 2023  

Internal Application Requirements (all in PDF format)

  • Project Summary (1 page maximum): Provide the name of the applicant, the project director/principal investigator(s), the project title, the objectives of the project, a description of the project, including methods to be employed, the potential impact of the project (e.g., benefits, outcomes), and major participants (for collaborative projects).
  • Lead PI Curriculum Vitae
  • Budget Overview (1 page maximum): A basic budget outlining project costs is sufficient; detailed OCG budgets are not required.

To access the online application, visit: https://cuboulderovcr.secure-platform.com/a/solicitations/6861/home

Eligibility

See the full solicitation for eligibility details.

Limited Submission Guidelines

An entity may only submit one Concept Paper and one Full Application for each topic area of this FOA. This limitation does not prohibit an applicant from collaborating on other applications (e.g., as a potential subrecipient or partner) so long as the entity is only listed as the applicant on one Concept Paper and one Full Application for each topic area of this FOA.

Award Information

EERE expects to make a total of approximately $155,700,000 of federal funding available for new awards under this FOA, subject to the availability of appropriated funds. EERE anticipates making approximately 37-62 awards under this FOA. EERE may issue one, multiple, or no awards. Individual awards may vary between up to $750,000 and up to $10,000,000.

Reference the full solicitation for cost-share requirements.