WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today at the Washington Auto Show, Under Secretary of Energy Mark W. Menezes announced the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) investment of nearly $300 million in funding for research and development of sustainable transportation resources and technologies. This investment, split up between three, separate funding opportunity announcements (FOA), supports DOE’s goal of ensuring that as the transportation system transforms, consumers have affordable, clean, efficient, and domestic energy options that give families and businesses greater choice in how they meet their mobility needs.

“As we enter a new decade, DOE remains diligent in addressing the various challenges and opportunities associated with the dramatic changes occurring within our transportation sector,” said Under Secretary Menezes. “Under this announcement, DOE is focusing our efforts on three areas of transportation to further spur innovative breakthroughs in this sector. The Trump Administration is committed to providing new energy and efficiency opportunities for manufacturers and consumers that will continue growing this ever-changing market.”

“As technologies, business models, and consumer demands evolve, our diverse supply of fuels and technologies allows us to approach the future of sustainable transportation from all angles, consistent with our comprehensive energy strategy,” said Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Daniel R Simmons. “The products that result from this FOA will significantly impact the sustainable energy market for the better.”

Today’s investment spans three funding opportunities. Each FOA contains multiple topics that will support DOE’s goal of providing consumers and businesses with a range of technologies and fuels. Funded through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), the three FOAs will be issued on behalf of the three transportation offices: Vehicle, Fuel Cells, and Bioenergy Technology Offices. Brief summaries of the FOAs can be found below:

FY20 Vehicles Technologies Office (VTO) Multi-Topic FOA ($133M): Issued on behalf of DOE’s VTO , topic areas within this FOA address priorities in advanced batteries and electrification; advanced engine and fuel technologies, including technologies for off-road applications; lightweight materials; new mobility technologies (energy efficient mobility systems), and alternative fuels technology demonstrations.

H2@Scale New Markets FOA ($64M): Issued on behalf of DOE’s Fuel Cells Technologies Office (FCTO), topic areas within this FOA advance DOE’s H2@Scale initiative. This investment will support innovative hydrogen concepts that will encourage market expansion and increase the scale of hydrogen production, storage, transport, and use, including heavy-duty trucks, data centers and steel production.

Issued on behalf of DOE’s Fuel Cells Technologies Office (FCTO), topic areas within this FOA advance DOE’s H2@Scale initiative. This investment will support innovative hydrogen concepts that will encourage market expansion and increase the scale of hydrogen production, storage, transport, and use, including heavy-duty trucks, data centers and steel production. FY20 Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) Multi-Topic FOA ($100M): Issued on behalf of DOE’s BETO, topic areas within this FOA support the U.S. bioeconomy by reducing the price of drop-in biofuels, lowering the cost of biopower, and enabling high-value products from biomass or waste resources.

The application process will include two phases: a concept paper submission and a full application submission.

For the BETO FOA, concept papers are due on March 5, 2020 and full applications are due on April 30, 2020.

For the FCTO FOA, concept papers are due on February 25, 2020 and full applications are due on April 20, 2020.

For the VTO FOA, concept papers are due on February 21, 2020 and full applications are due on April 14, 2020.

For more information, please refer to the BETO, FCTO and VTO FOAs on EERE Exchange.

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