Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Core Technology Research | DE FOA 0001853

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001853

The Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Laboratory released this funding opportunity, titled Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Core Technology Research (DE-FOA-0001853), to push forward solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) technology in ways that directly help fuel cell system manufacturers bring costs down and improve system reliability. The award mechanism is a cooperative agreement, which typically means DOE expects active involvement during the project (for example, in technical direction, milestones, and project management). The FOA sits in the Energy, Science and Technology, and other Research and Development category under CFDA 81.089, and it is broadly open to applicants (unrestricted eligibility), as long as they meet any specific conditions described in the FOA text.

At a high level, the opportunity is structured around two Areas of Interest (AOIs), both focused specifically on SOFCs; proposals that center on other fuel cell types are explicitly considered non-responsive. The two AOIs are meant to cover a pipeline from earlier-stage lab research through to work that is close enough to be exercised in real operating conditions. DOE is essentially signaling that it wants both (1) breakthroughs that can reshape the cost and performance trajectory of SOFCs and (2) practical, near-term improvements that tackle reliability challenges in the latest generation of SOFC power systems.

AOI 1, labeled Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFC) Core Technology Research, targets transformational ideas at an early stage, with research and development conducted primarily at the laboratory scale. The expectation is that successful projects will not just produce analysis or designs, but will validate the underlying concepts with lab-scale evidence. While a fuel cell system manufacturer is not mandatory in this AOI, DOE encourages collaboration with manufacturers to keep the work grounded in real system needs, manufacturability considerations, and pathways to commercialization. In practice, this AOI is aimed at foundational improvements in SOFC components, materials, architectures, or processes that could materially change cost or durability, even if the work is still in a controlled lab environment.

AOI 2, titled Core Technology Research and Development (R&D) in Support of Near-Term SOFC Power Systems Prototype Tests, is more application-driven and is aimed at reliability problems encountered by 2nd Generation SOFC power systems under operational conditions. This AOI requires a team approach and mandates participation by at least one fuel cell system manufacturer, either as the prime recipient or as a sub-recipient. The point of this requirement is to ensure the work is tied directly to real prototypes, real system constraints, and real-world operating environments. Teams are expected to mature the technology during the project to the point where it can be validated in an operational system, meaning the work should be positioned for integration and testing beyond benchtop experimentation.

In terms of funding parameters, the FOA lists an award ceiling of $2,000,000 per award and anticipates making around 10 awards. The opportunity was created on March 1, 2018, and originally closed on April 30, 2018. Taken together, these details show a program designed to fund multiple parallel efforts, balancing riskier, high-upside laboratory research with near-term reliability and validation work that is tightly coupled to manufacturers and prototype testing.

• The Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Solid Oxide Fuel Cells Core Technology Research" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.089.
• This funding opportunity was created on Mar 01, 2018.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2018. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• 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 10 candidate(s).
• 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.

Apply for DE FOA 0001853

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