Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002417
The Department of Energy, through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and its Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO), released a competitive funding opportunity called "Technology Innovation to Increase Hydropower Flexibility" under the HydroWIRES Initiative. The central goal is to accelerate next-generation hydropower technologies that make the existing U.S. hydropower fleet better at operating flexibly on the electric grid. In practical terms, the program is looking for innovations that help hydropower units respond more effectively to changing grid conditions, especially as more variable renewable energy like wind and solar is added. By improving how hydropower plants ramp up and down, start and stop, and operate efficiently across a wider range of conditions, hydropower can play a larger role in keeping the grid reliable while supporting broader decarbonization efforts.
This FOA emphasizes two complementary types of technical advances. One is improving performance across multiple "dimensions" of unit-level flexibility, which generally refers to capabilities such as faster and more efficient ramping, expanded operating range, improved part-load performance, better response to frequency and voltage needs, and reduced wear during frequent cycling. The other is reducing the negative side effects that can come with more flexible operations. Flexible dispatch can increase mechanical stress, accelerate equipment fatigue, raise maintenance needs, and in some cases create environmental or operational complications. The funding is therefore aimed at solutions that either directly increase flexible performance or allow plants to provide flexibility with fewer penalties in cost, reliability, equipment lifetime, or other impacts.
The opportunity is open broadly to applicants, meaning eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), with the caveat that applicants still need to follow any specific eligibility clarifications that may appear in the full FOA. The DOE is explicitly seeking participation from manufacturers, equipment vendors, and research organizations, reflecting an interest in both commercializable hardware and enabling technologies, as well as applied research and development efforts that can be translated into real-world upgrades. Awards are planned as cooperative agreements, which usually means the DOE expects substantial involvement during the project, such as technical collaboration, milestone reviews, and shared project management rather than a hands-off grant structure.
Key administrative details include the Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0002417 and the activity category of Energy, listed under CFDA 81.087. The opportunity was created on September 30, 2021, with an original closing date of January 22, 2022. DOE anticipated making about six awards, with a maximum award size (ceiling) of $4,000,000 per project. The administering office is the Department of Energy, Golden Field Office. Applicants were directed to obtain the complete FOA and submission instructions through EERE Exchange at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov, where the full requirements, technical topic areas, cost share expectations (if any), and evaluation criteria would be spelled out.
Overall, this FOA is best understood as a targeted push to modernize and upgrade hydropower so it can function as a more agile grid resource. The underlying rationale is that a cleaner grid with high penetrations of wind and solar needs flexible generation and grid support services, and hydropower can provide those services if plants have the right technologies to operate more dynamically without compromising equipment life, reliability, or other operational constraints.Apply for DE FOA 0002417
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION TO INCREASE HYDROPOWER FLEXIBILITY" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 30, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jan 22, 2022. (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 $4,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 6 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.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name of this funding opportunity?
The funding opportunity is called "Technology Innovation to Increase Hydropower Flexibility" under the HydroWIRES Initiative.
Which federal agency and offices are sponsoring this FOA?
This opportunity is issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and EERE's Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO).
What is the main goal of the program?
The central goal is to accelerate next-generation hydropower technologies that help the existing U.S. hydropower fleet operate more flexibly on the electric grid, especially as more variable renewable energy (like wind and solar) is added.
What does "hydropower flexibility" mean in this FOA?
In this context, flexibility refers to improving how hydropower units respond to changing grid conditions. Examples mentioned include faster and more efficient ramping, expanded operating range, improved part-load performance, better response to frequency and voltage needs, and reduced wear from frequent cycling.
Why is DOE focusing on flexibility now?
The FOA is based on the idea that a cleaner grid with higher penetrations of wind and solar needs flexible generation and grid support services. Hydropower can provide those services if plants have technologies that let them operate more dynamically without unacceptable downsides.
What kinds of technical advances does the FOA emphasize?
The FOA emphasizes two complementary categories: (1) improvements across multiple dimensions of unit-level flexibility, and (2) approaches that reduce the negative side effects or penalties that can come with more flexible operations.
What are the "negative side effects" of flexible hydropower operation that this FOA wants to address?
The FOA notes that flexible dispatch can increase mechanical stress, accelerate equipment fatigue, raise maintenance needs, and in some cases create environmental or operational complications. The funding targets solutions that increase flexibility and/or reduce these penalties.
What types of solutions are being sought?
Solutions can include innovations that directly improve flexible performance or technologies and approaches that allow plants to provide flexibility with fewer impacts on cost, reliability, equipment lifetime, or other operational constraints.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted (open to any type of entity), with the caveat that applicants should follow any specific eligibility clarifications contained in the full FOA.
Are manufacturers and technology vendors encouraged to apply?
Yes. DOE explicitly seeks participation from manufacturers and equipment vendors, indicating interest in commercializable hardware and enabling technologies.
Are research organizations encouraged to apply?
Yes. DOE is also explicitly seeking participation from research organizations, reflecting interest in applied research and development that can be translated into real-world hydropower upgrades.
What type of award instrument will DOE use?
Awards are planned as cooperative agreements.
What does it mean that awards are cooperative agreements?
In this opportunity, cooperative agreements indicate DOE expects substantial involvement during the project, such as technical collaboration, milestone reviews, and shared project management, rather than a hands-off grant structure.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FOA number)?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0002417.
What is the CFDA number and program category listed for this opportunity?
The activity category is listed as Energy, under CFDA 81.087.
When was this opportunity created?
The opportunity was created on September 30, 2021.
What was the original closing date?
The original closing date was January 22, 2022.
How many awards did DOE anticipate making?
DOE anticipated making about six awards.
What is the maximum award amount per project?
The maximum award size (ceiling) is $4,000,000 per project.
Which DOE office is administering this FOA?
The administering office is the Department of Energy, Golden Field Office.
Where do applicants find the full FOA and submission instructions?
Applicants were directed to obtain the complete FOA and submission instructions through EERE Exchange at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov.
Where are the technical topic areas, cost share expectations, and evaluation criteria defined?
Those details are described as being spelled out in the full FOA available through EERE Exchange, including full requirements, topic areas, cost share expectations (if any), and evaluation criteria.
What is the bigger grid and decarbonization rationale behind this FOA?
This FOA is positioned as a targeted push to modernize hydropower so it can serve as a more agile grid resource. The rationale is that hydropower can help maintain grid reliability and support decarbonization by providing flexible generation and grid services, provided plants can operate dynamically without compromising equipment life, reliability, or other constraints.
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