Deadline: 16-Sep-22
The Golden Field Office is seeking applications for its 2022 Solar Manufacturing Incubator Funding Opportunity that seeks to invest in innovative research and development (R&D) as well as research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) projects that enable continued cost reductions, while developing next-generation solar technologies and boosting American solar manufacturing, especially in cadmium telluride (CdTe) photovoltaics.
This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) is being issued by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO).
Goals
- Topic Area 1: Product Development
- The goal of Topic Area 1 is to de-risk new technologies and manufacturing processes and bring them to a commercially relevant prototype stage, while developing and validating a realistic pathway to commercial success.
- Topic Area 2: Demonstration of Cadmium Telluride Photovoltaic Technologies
- This Topic Area seeks to conduct pilot-scale testing and demonstration of products or solutions that can substantively increase the domestic manufacturing of cadmium telluride photovoltaics. Successful applicants for this topic area will be established companies or startups incorporated in the United States with an existing technology involving CdTe whose technical functionalities have already been fully demonstrated and verified on a small scale and in a controlled environment
Topic Areas
- This funding opportunity will have two Topic Areas. Topic Area 1 is focused on R&D activities with the goal of develop new products or manufacturing processes across the solar value chain. Topic Area 2 is focused on demonstration activities related to CdTe technology. Achieving SETO’s goals requires sustained, multifaceted innovation. Projects supported by this FOA will advance research, development, and demonstration in PV, CSP, and solar grid integration technologies, and reduce soft costs as well. The majority of the innovations sought here will improve the likelihood that new solar materials and processes reach critical manufacturing scale.
- Through this FOA, SETO seeks to accelerate the commercialization of innovative solar products that can substantively increase domestic manufacturing across the solar industry supply chain and catalyze private investment in the U.S. solar manufacturing sector. These products and solutions will lower the cost of solar technologies and facilitate the secure integration of solar electricity into the nation’s energy grid.
- In both Topic Areas, SETO funding should help retire technical, business, and market risks of solar hardware to validate pathways to commercial success through customer engagement and trials. Successful awardees will be well positioned to attract follow-on private investment, grow their businesses, generate revenue, and create jobs.
Funding Information
EERE expects to make a total of approximately $27 million of federal funding available for new awards under this FOA, subject to the availability of appropriated funds. EERE anticipates making approximately 7 – 24 awards under this FOA. EERE may issue one, multiple, or no awards. Individual awards may vary between $0.5 million and $10 million.
Eligibility Criteria
- U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are eligible to apply for funding as a Subrecipient.
- For-profit entities that are incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the United States and have a physical location for business operations in the United States are eligible to apply for funding as a prime recipient or subrecipient.
For more information, visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=342404