EERE Funding Opportunity Announcements

A recent study by Oak Ridge National Lab has shown that there is up to 60 GW of new hydropower development potential available in the United States. Most of the available sites come with challenges with regard to environmental and social sustainability and cost effective development. To address these challenges, DOE’s Water Program initiated a new technology program, HydroNEXT to focus on hydropower technology innovation that will foster development of potential new hydropower capacity in the U.S. The HydroNEXT effort continues in 2015, through this FOA, aimed at the development of suitable technologies to overcome environmental, social, and Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE) challenges.

DOE will solicit innovative ideas to harness hydropower that can be rapidly built, removed, and replaced when necessary. Applicants will be encouraged to provide new concepts for alternative hydropower systems that will lower costs of civil infrastructure development, can be deployed in a maximum of 2 years with relatively low environmental impacts, and can be removed or replaced after their intended life is completed. These concepts and systems will be able to operate at a cost that is competitive with traditional sources of generation.

The three topic areas covered by this FOA are outlined below:

Topic Area 1: Design and laboratory testing of new rapidly deployable hydropower technologies that can be easily removed or replaced at the end of their useful life, including, but not limited to, water impounding structures, water conveying systems, and innovative pre-fabricated structures.

Topic Area 2: Research on innovative methods and/or materials for construction of conventional hydropower facilities including, but not limited to, concrete alternatives, in-water construction, and innovative advanced tunneling methods.

Topic Area 3: Design and laboratory testing of new and innovative conventional hydropower powertrain components such as composite and replaceable blade technologies for turbine runners, new generator technologies, and/or materials and coatings for powertrain components.

The Exchange system is currently designed to enforce hard deadlines for Concept Paper and Full Application submissions. The APPLY and SUBMIT buttons automatically disable at the defined submission deadlines. The intention of this design is to consistently enforce a standard deadline for all applications.

Applicants that experience issues with submissions PRIOR to the FOA Deadline: In the event that an Applicant experiences technical difficulties with a submission, the Applicant should contact the Exchange helpdesk for assistance (EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov). The Exchange helpdesk &/or the EERE eXCHANGE System Administrators (EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov) will assist the Applicant in resolving all issues.

Please click "FOA FAQs" under the "FOA Documents" heading below for Questions and Answers specific to this FOA.

A webinar for this FOA was held on Tuesday, April 21, 2015. Click the link below to access the recorded webinar. Note that you will be asked to register.

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1210394442421888769

The purpose of this Notice of Intent is to provide potential applicants advance notice that the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Wind and Water Power Technologies Office (WWPTO), a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled “Research and Development of Innovative Technologies for Low Impact Hydropower Development", Number DE-FOA-0001286. The full Notice of Intent document is posted in the "FOA Documents" section below.

This FOA will support research and development of new innovations in hydropower drivetrain and civil works technologies for low impact hydropower development. The focus will be to reduce overall capital costs and recurring operation and maintenance costs and reduce the environmental impact of developing new hydropower projects.

The technologies to be developed will include low impact civil structures, alternative construction methods and materials, and innovative mechanical and electrical powertrain components. These technologies will also help to reduce installation and maintenance costs, while addressing the environmental and social concerns of new hydropower development.

DOE will solicit innovative ideas to harness hydropower that can be rapidly built, removed, and replaced when necessary. Applicants will be encouraged to provide new concepts for alternative hydropower systems that will lower the costs of civil infrastructure development, can be deployed in a maximum of two (2) years with relatively low environmental impacts, and can be removed or replaced after their intended life is completed. These concepts and systems should be able to operate at a cost that is competitive with traditional sources of generation.

NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH THIS NOTICE. Please do not submit questions or respond to this Notice of Intent. Prospective applicants to the FOA should begin developing partnerships, formulating ideas, and gathering data in anticipation of the issuance of this FOA. The applicant must first register and create an account on the EERE eXCHANGE website. A User Guide for EERE eXCHANGE can be found on the EERE website https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx after logging in to the system.