The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy (FE) has issued a Notice of Intent for a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) to advance energy storage technologies capable of improving the overall performance, reliability, and flexibility of fossil-fueled assets. The assets include fossil-fueled power generating facilities, fossil-fueled poly-generation facilities, and suitable fossil-fueled industrial applications.

This FOA, which falls under FE’s new Advanced Energy Storage program, is in support of DOE’s Energy Storage Grand Challenge. Several technology approaches are anticipated including, but not limited to, thermal, chemical, and potential energy storage. Specifically, hydrogen is an essential feedstock and fuel that unites the Nation’s natural gas, coal, nuclear, and renewable energy resources. FE is looking to leverage the low-cost production of hydrogen from fossil fuels with zero or near-zero emissions to facilitate energy storage that can support the use of domestic energy supplies and affordability, improve domestic energy production and use, and enhance the security, reliability, and resilience of energy infrastructure.

The objective of DE-FOA-0002332, Energy Storage for Fossil Power Generation, is to competitively solicit and award research projects that will develop energy storage technologies for existing fossil-fueled power plants, as well as new power plants and other fossil energy systems platforms beyond electric power, including industrial, distributed generation, poly-generation, waste heat recovery, and other innovative nontraditional concepts.

The sub-objectives of this FOA are:

Advance near-term, system-integrated, energy storage solutions toward commercial deployment at fossil assets. Mature promising mid-TRL (Technology Readiness Level), component-level, energy storage solutions toward eventual system integration with fossil assets. Develop innovative, low-TRL concepts and technologies that offer game-changing benefits for fossil assets.

Advancing energy storage co-located with fossil energy assets will enable a suite of benefits to asset owners, the electricity grid, and the Nation. These benefits include more reliable and affordable energy supply, cleaner environmental performance, and stronger energy infrastructure.

If the FOA is released, DOE is considering compiling a Teaming Partner List to facilitate the formation of new project teams. The teaming partner list will allow entities who may wish to participate as a team member on an application, but do not wish to apply as the prime applicant to the FOA, to express their interest to other potential applicants and to explore potential partners. DOE is not accepting entries to the Teaming Partner List at this time. Instructions for inclusion in and access to the Teaming Partner List will be included in the FOA, if issued.

If the FOA is released, DOE will conduct one informational webinar during the FOA process. It will be held after the initial FOA release but before the due date for Concept Papers (if requested). The date and time for the webinar as well as registration instructions will be included on the cover page of the FOA. The webinar will be open to all applicants who wish to participate. Attendance will not be mandatory and will not positively or negatively impact the overall review of any applicant submissions.

Prospective applicants must complete several one-time actions to submit an application in response to this announcement. Applicants who are not registered with the System for Award Management and Grants.gov should allow at least 44 days to complete these requirements. More information about the applicant registration steps for Grants.gov is provided here.

FE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) would manage the selected projects.

Read the full Notice of Intent here.