Fossil Fuel Large-Scale Pilots | DE FOA 0001788

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001788

The Department of Energy, through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), is funding a set of large-scale pilot projects focused on "transformational" coal technologies. The goal is to push coal-based power systems toward step-change improvements, meaning meaningful leaps in performance and efficiency that can also drive down the overall cost of electricity. Rather than funding only early lab research, this opportunity is structured to move promising concepts toward real-world, pilot-scale facilities that can be designed, built, and actually operated long enough to generate credible technical and economic results.

This funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0001788) is offered as a discretionary program using cooperative agreements, which generally means DOE expects to stay actively involved during the project. The program sits in the Energy, Science and Technology, and R&D category (CFDA 81.089). Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, so in practice a wide range of entities can apply (companies, universities, national labs, nonprofits, and others), as long as they meet any requirements stated in the full FOA text.

A key feature of the program is its three-phase structure with down-selection between phases. Phase I is the Feasibility phase, and it is the only phase for which DOE is requesting full, detailed applications at the time of this announcement. Phase I is not just a paper exercise; it is meant to position a project for a credible, financeable move into design and construction later. During Phase I, recipients are expected to lock in essential team commitments, including an actual host site and committed cost share arrangements needed for Phase II. They also need to refine and update preliminary cost estimates and the project schedule covering design, construction, and operations. In addition, Phase I includes preparing an environmental information volume, which helps tee up later environmental review requirements.

Projects that successfully make it through Phase I can be invited into Phase II, the Design phase. Phase II centers on completing a Front End Engineering Design (FEED) study, which is the kind of engineering work that turns a concept into a buildable facility with defined equipment, layouts, cost basis, and execution plans. In Phase II, teams also need to secure the cost share funding needed for construction and operations, and they must complete the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process. That combination is important: DOE is signaling that projects must be both technically mature and ready from a permitting and compliance standpoint before they can be considered for major construction dollars.

Phase III is the Construction-Operation phase, where DOE expects to support the actual build-out and operation of the large-scale pilot facilities. DOE anticipates selecting at least two projects for Phase III, which implies a competitive narrowing as projects advance and as DOE assesses which ones are most viable and impactful. The operational period in Phase III is not optional or symbolic; the pilots must be run to produce data that can validate performance, efficiency, and cost improvements under realistic conditions.

There is also a strict fuel requirement tied to Phase III: any project that proceeds to construction and operations must use domestic coal and/or domestic coal-derived fuels during the operating period. This is not a minor preference. The FOA explicitly states that Phase I applicants who plan to primarily use other fuel sources during operations will be considered non-responsive, meaning they can be rejected for not meeting the basic requirements. In other words, even though Phase I is the immediate application target, applicants must show that their long-term operating plan aligns with domestic coal or coal-derived fuels, because DOE is evaluating the overall viability of the full three-phase path.

In terms of scale and expectations, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $1,000,000 and an expected eight awards, with the creation date of August 24, 2017 and an original closing date of October 19, 2017. While only Phase I is being solicited in full detail, applicants still need to provide enough information about their preliminary Phase II and Phase III plans for DOE to judge whether the concept can realistically reach design completion, permitting, construction, and operations. The overall message is that DOE is looking for teams that can credibly move beyond concept-stage work into pilot-scale execution, with committed partners, a real site, a realistic budget and schedule, and a clear pathway to operating on domestic coal-based fuels.

• 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 "Fossil Fuel Large-Scale Pilots" 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 Aug 24, 2017.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 19, 2017. (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 $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 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 0001788

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