EERE eXCHANGE: FAQs

Question 1: (1) Are you interested only in a natural gas based engine or would you be interested in a natural gas based sCO2 bratyon Cycle power generation system. (2) How important is the emissions issues for the system?
Answer 1: 1. The FOA does not limit prime mover technology. Brayton sCO2 technology is based upon expansion of a gas in a turbine, and would be subject to the fuel to electricity efficiency requirements of a gas turbine system. 2. As specified in the FOA, systems must meet emissions and grid connection requirements of current potential markets.

Question 2: Does this FOA apply to both new CHP and retrofitted systems? When does the system need to be operational by?
Answer 2:

1) Technologies developed under this FOA may be applicable to both new and existing systems, provided that they meet the performance, efficiency and emissions criteria specified under each respective Area of Interest.
2) This FOA is targeting TRL levels 2 through 4. Development beyond TRL4 will not be funded. Commercialization of the technologies is not with the scope of the FOA.

Question 3: In Area of Interest 1, can we demonstrate 100 kW power inverter and provide models on performance calculation for > 1 MW units?
Answer 3: As provided in Section I.B. of the FOA, “Components must be capable of supporting CHP systems in the 1-20 MWe size range."

Question 4: 1. How complete does the bi-directional control and communications with the grid need to be? 2. Is it acceptable to simply demonstrate power export? 3. What power level would be sufficient to demonstrate scalability and be compliant with the FOA intent? - Clearly at $1,800/kw a 2MW system cost would be $3.6M. $1.5M in funding is insufficient to develop and deliver such a prototype system. 4. Can we combine improvements in engine thermal efficiency with an AOI 1 project? - This blurs the separation of AIO 1 and AIOI 2 - It would require heat engine mapping and development work as well as power electronics - Or should this be broken into 2 Applications?"
Answer 4:

1. The equipment must be physically capable of implementing the functions defined by the referenced standards and must be capable of implementing a communication interface for coordination and control with the distribution system operator. The grid support functions can be demonstrated using a laboratory communication test harness rather than a grid communication network.

2. Technologies must address all of the technical targets and/or capabilities provided under the respective Area of Interest.

3. i. As provided in Section I.B. of the FOA, “Components under Area of Interest 1 must be capable of supporting CHP systems in the 1-20 MWe size range”. Similarly electrical generation components under Area of Interest 2 “Smaller sized units (>100 kWe) may be used to establish system performance. However, supporting computational models must be able to extrapolate the efficiency and emissions performance to CHP systems between 1 and 20 MWe.”

4. i. Concept Papers and Full Applications must address a specific Area of Interest, and will be evaluated with respect to the requirement of that Area of Interest.

Question 5: Will the webinar presentation be posted?
Answer 5: It will not. All of the information in the webinar is available in the FOA.

Question 6: When will we be notified of the concept paper being encouraged or discouraged?
Answer 6: As indicated on the cover page of Amendment 00001 of the FOA, it is anticipated the applicants will be notified about concept papers on or around April 10, 2018.

Question 7: Would more than 1 submission per Topic Area be allowed for a University which may have multiple submissions from multiple PI's? Is it 1 submission per PI or per Organization?
Answer 7: Applicants who are U.S. colleges, universities, institutions of higher learning, or university-affiliated research institutions may submit multiple Concept Papers, but only one Full Application per topic area as identified in Section I.B. As there could be potential applicants across the various colleges, departments and campuses of one institution, it is incumbent upon the applicant to coordinate the applications submitted. If more than one Full Application per topic area is submitted, EERE will only consider the last timely submission for evaluation. Any other submissions received listing the same applicant will be considered non-compliant and not eligible for further consideration. These limitations do not prohibit an applicant who is a U.S. college, university, institution of higher learning, or university-affiliated research institution from collaborating on other applications (e.g., as a potential Subrecipient or partner) so long as the entity is only listed as the Prime Applicant on one Full Application per topic area.

Question 8: We are developing an expander that would be suitable for generating power from steam produced from the exhaust of a 1 to 20-MW engine or combustion turbine. It would increase the power output of the CHP system while increasing the CHP efficiency. It would have a significantly higher isentropic efficiency and turndown than the incumbent steam turbine technology, so it would meet the efficiency and load following requirements of the FOA. It would be applicable to any engine or combustion turbine. Is such a technology suitable for this solicitation?
Answer 8: Please refer to the FOA Section I.B for all technical requirements. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA. In accordance with the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which initial concept papers are submitted and then again once full applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit a concept paper and then a full application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant.

Question 9: (Question 9 contains multiple questions that are similar). 9a. With respect the technologies developed under this FOA, is there range of Technology Readiness Level (TRL) that the project is to deliver? 9b. For AOI 2, is there an expected/desired TRL to be achieved by the end of the project? 9c. The webinar and FOA mention the merits of innovative technology. Is this a demonstration project or a R&D project? 9d. What is the expected TRL range for the technologies proposed? Is there a preference for pilot-sale demonstration over lab research? if so, which TRL is this FOA targeting?
Answer 9: This FOA seeks projects which begin at TRL2 and complete at TRL4. Documentation on the EERE definition of TRL levels is located at https://www.energy.gov/eere/funding/downloads/guidance-documents

Question 10: Regarding the project budget, are funds allowed to be used for construction, and is there a target % for construction versus other costs?
Answer 10: Construction (civil, building, or otherwise) is outside the scope of this FOA.

Question 11: In Area of Interest 2, demonstration of 85% total CHP efficiency is required. Is this based on the LHV or HHV of the fuel?
Answer 11: Efficiency requirements are based on the Lower Heating Value (LHV) of the fuel.

Question 12: We have a novel concept around CHP involving solar power stations. In the FOA, it seems that the focus might be more on the conventional sources of power generation. We are considering submitting a concept paper, but would like to first confirm whether CHP involving solar falls within scope of the FOA?
Answer 12: DOE will not make a determination at this time. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and IV of the FOA.

Question 13: If we do 1 MW design, are you looking for the same technology for the 20 MW. In other words, are you looking for a scalable technology?
Answer 13: In accordance with the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the submittal of concept papers. The decision whether to submit a concept paper and then a full application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA. All technical requirements are outlined in FOA Section I.B.

Question 14: Does the FOA refer to exclusively Natural Gas powered technologies? Also, there are technical specifications on the power generation side (efficiency and ramp rates) but nothing on the heat generation. Is that outside the scope?
Answer 14: Please refer to the FOA Section I.B for all technical requirements. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA. In accordance with the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which initial concept papers are submitted and then again once full applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit a concept paper and then a full application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant.

Question 15: Two-part question on area of interest 1. First part: the power electronics & control systems are considered jointly, or can control systems be the subject of the proposal separately from the power electronics? Second part: either the power electronics or the control systems must be based on commercial equipment or can be novel platforms on proper standardized protocols and with some proof-of-concept on a test-bed?
Answer 15:

In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA. In accordance with the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which initial concept papers are submitted and then again once full applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit a concept paper and then a full application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant. Please refer to the FOA Section I.B for all technical requirements.

Question 16: Are the project partners and co-share distribution need to be defined on the concept paper or by the date of full application submission?
Answer 16: It is recommended that anticipated project partners be defined at the Concept Paper stage. Cost share distribution is not required for Concept Papers, but is required with Full Applications.

Question 17: Demonstration indicated the need to provide experimental results from a device above 100 kWe. Is that right or a typo? Can the experimental setup be of smaller size? When defining the total CHP efficiency, what is the required heat quality required in terms of water temperature or any other defining parameter?
Answer 17: The DOE will not provide feedback to technical questions of this nature and applicants are advised to review FOA Section I.B for all technical requirements. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA. In accordance with the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which initial concept papers are submitted and then again once full applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit a concept paper and then a full application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant.

Question 18: For Area of Interest 1: It is stated that power electronics should be developed for systems >1MW. Similar to the case with AOI2, can one develop the power electronics for a smaller system and then make projections for performance on >1MW system. If so, how small can the initial power converter be? For Area of Interest 2, it is stated that one can demonstrate the technology using a small prime mover (> 100kW) and project the benefits for >1MW systems. Wondering whether we can use a system sized at 60kW and then make the projections.
Answer 18: Please refer to the FOA Section I.B for all technical requirements. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA. In accordance with the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which initial concept papers are submitted and then again once full applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit a concept paper and then a full application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant.

Question 19: Technologies being requested are older. Will later and better technologies be given consideration if proposed in the “Concept Papers” stage?
Answer 19: In accordance with the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which initial concept papers are submitted and then again once full applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit a concept paper and then a full application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant. Please refer to the FOA Section I.B for all technical requirements. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA.

Question 20: 1. Are only Natural Gas Powered Gas Turbine and Internal Combustion Engine based systems considered? 2. The FOA talks about efficiency and ramp rate metrics. Yet, since we are talking about co-generation systems in addition to the prime mover concerns , higher ramp rates will put increased strain on the HRSG. Are lifetime considerations of the HRSG part of the scope or is the focus just on the prime mover? 3. Are academic institutions subject to the same 20% cost share?
Answer 20: 1. This FOA specifically identifies performance targets for technologies that are known. However, it does not limit the technology that may be proposed. If a technology is proposed that is not specified in the FOA it must be capable of achieving the minimum performance, efficiency and emissions criteria specified under each area of interest. 2. The FOA seeks development of the electricity generation component of a CHP system. However, the ultimate targeted system performance and costs need to consider a full CHP system. 3. All applicants - regardless of type of organization - are required to provide a minimum of 20% cost share.

Question 21: 1) Regarding Area of Interest 2 - Can you clarify if the call addresses only the electrical drive, or alternatively you welcome enhanced gas turbine/electric generator systems? 2) What is the level of maturity of the concepts you are expecting in this call? Our team has decades of experience working with Aeroengine systems, and we would like to use some of the novel concepts currently developed for aircrafts to enhance the efficiency of turbine/electrical generator systems. Can you state the Technology Readiness Levels of the technology you will be funding? 3) We understand you would like us to demonstrate the technology in a lab environment by the end of the program. Are there any particular requirements for this demonstration? 4) What level of involvement from electric utilities are you expecting? 5) The hyper-link in footnote #6 on CHP TAPS is not working. Please clarify what this means.
Answer 21: With regard to questions 1), 3), and 4), EERE will not provide feedback to technical questions of this nature and applicants are advised to review FOA Section I.B for all technical requirements. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with SEctions II and IV of the FOA. 2) This FOA seeks projects which begin at TRL2 and complete at TRL4. Documentation on the EERE definition of TRL levels is located at https://www.energy.gov/eere/funding/downloads/guidance-documents 5) The hyperlink associated with footnote 6 does not seem to be working. This will be addressed in a future modification. Please copy and paste the url into your browser to access the proper page. https://www.energy.gov/eere/amo/chp-technical-assistance-partnerships-chp-taps Applicants can also use any search engine to locate information on DOE CHIP Technical Assistance Partnerships.

Question 22: We are interested in AOI2. My question is “do we need developed the technologies from engine to waste heat recovery or we can develop individual technology that help to boost the efficiency to 45% for IC engine based CHP system? In other words, does a system recovering waste heat and use the recovered waste heat to produce electricity elegible for this program? Such a system can improve the fuel to electricity efficiency of the CHP system by 10 to 15%. However, such a system must be applied with either IC engine or gas turbine. However, the project funding is not enough for us to include engine in our program.
Answer 22: Please refer to the FOA Section I.B for all technical requirements. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA. In accordance with the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which initial concept papers are submitted and then again once full applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit a concept paper and then a full application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant.

Question 23: In page 7, there is no limitation for soot emissions. Does this mean that there is no limit to soot emissions if diesel engine is considered or diesel engine is not considered for this program?
Answer 23: Per Section 1.B of the FOA,
“The system must meet established emissions and grid connection requirements that exist in current potential markets”. The example provided is not exhaustive, and proposed technologies must meet all emissions requirements (including soot) for current potential markets. Applicants should identify their target markets and ensure their technology would meet the respective emissions requirements.

Question 24: "My company makes mobile gasification units that produce electricity but we can also capture waste heat. From the solicitation: Ultimately the R&D will result in substantially more widespread adoption of CHP in the small to mid‐sized manufacturing sector (1–20 MWe systems) with associated improvements in manufacturing sector competitiveness and grid reliability. We'd like to know if can it be 1MW including total thermal? Our Powertainer machine is being upped to 200 kW of electricity + CHP (400kW) would be 600kW. Could a two Powertainer project (which we would contextualize as 1.2MW) be acceptable?"
Answer 24: Per Section 1.B of the FOA,
“The objective of this Area of Interest is to research and develop the electricity generation component of a 1-20 MWe CHP system…”

Question 25: Exchange was showing the full applications were due on May 3 but the PDF file indicated May 10. Which is correct?
Answer 25: May 10 is the closing date and exchange has been updated to indicate the correct date.

Question 26: To apply at the Concept Paper stage, is it required that an applicant be registered in SAM?
Answer 26:

The EERE Funding Opportunity Exchange website does not require applicants to be registered in SAM to complete a Concept Paper submission. Guidance for completing SAM registration in relation to the submission process is provided in the funding opportunity announcement.

Question 27: We are going to submit a concept paper on FOA-1750. We would like to clarify a couple of questions regarding AoI2 before we start preparing the concept paper: • The description of AoI2 says: The objective of this Area of Interest is to research and develop the electricity generation component of a 1‐20 MWe CHP system. The description does not explicitly says that testing or hardware demonstration should be included within the scope of the proposal. I would appreciate if you clarify the expected deliverables for AoI2.
Answer 27: This FOA calls for Research and Development at Technology Readiness Levels 2 – 4. Documentation on EERE definition of TRL levels is provided at https://www.energy.gov/eere/funding/downloads/guidance-documents. Applicants should describe in their technical approach how their technology would be capable of meeting the technical requirements on a 1-20 MWe system. As provided in the FOA, smaller sized units (>100 kWe) may be used to establish system performance.

Question 28: • Are any hybrid gas-turbine engines an object of FOA AoI2 interest or it has to be the stand-alone gas-turbine engine?
Answer 28: Please refer to the FOA Section I.B for all technical requirements. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA. In accordance with the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which initial concept papers are submitted and then again once full applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit a concept paper and then a full application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant.

Question 29: We did have a question regarding Area of Interest 1 – does the $1800/kW include only electrical kW or electrical + heat kW?
Answer 29: The $1,800/kW refers to the cost of the full CHP system, based on the rated electrical power alone.

Question 30: The FOA indicated that there were only going to be 6-10 awards. Does DOE already had particular awardees in mind already, or if they are open to any and all applications?
Answer 30: There are no predetermined recipients. The FOA is a competition that is open to all applicants who are eligible under Section III.A. of the FOA.

Question 31: The email address in the footer of the FOA isn't working.
Answer 31:

The email address in the footer of the FOA incorrectly links to "0001750@netl.doe.gov". The correct email address is DE-FOA-0001750. We apologize for this mistake and will get the address corrected as soon as possible.

Question 32: How do I contact EERE Exchange for help with my application?
Answer 32: Contact the EERE Exchange helpdesk by emailing EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov.

Question 33: There are two areas of interest that are being funded-Power Electronics and Control Systems and Electricity Generation Components. Are they related in anyway? Does the one area of research ultimately support the other?
Answer 33: Applicants should read Section I.A. and associated links for background information.

Question 34: Area of Interest 2 - Electricity Generation Components-Is the aim here to extract higher generation efficiencies and improving ramping capabilities?
Answer 34: Applicants should read Section I.A. and associated links for background information.

Question 35: Would there be any consideration for applications that maximize the CHP system size (there by maximizing customer energy efficiency) by flexing electric to thermal ratios for commercial and industrial customers variable electric and thermal hourly needs.
Answer 35: Please refer to the FOA Section I.B for all technical requirements. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, please submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA. In accordance with the FOA, EERE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which initial concept papers are submitted and then again once full applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit a concept paper and then a full application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant.

Question 36: We are currently in construction of a facility that will utilize two 1.5MW reciprocating engines (3MW total) with heat recovery. The engines are expected to run at 100% electric load more than 95% of the time. Total average efficiency for the year is expected to be 73% LHV. Area of Interest 1: Operators of similar systems in the area (ISONE) have had issues with the cogen being tripped off at very slight electrical disturbances from the grid. As a result, we are currently investigating adding 4MW of batteries that would provide sufficient voltage and frequency regulation to allow the cogens to ride through any grid disturbance. We are currently working with the switchgear manufacturer and the battery manufacturer to determine if equipment and setpoints can provide this level of control. We are not aware of this being performed anywhere in the USA. Because of the construction timeline, we have to make a commitment to the batteries and switchgear upgrades by the end of April. Would we be eligible for funding even if we have already committed to complete the project?
Answer 36:

The DOE will not provide feedback on project-specific questions such as this. Applicants should refer to Section I of the FOA for all technical requirements. In order to receive feedback on your proposed project, you can submit a concept paper in accordance with Sections III and Section IV of the FOA. This FOA seeks projects which begin at TRL2 and complete at TRL4.

Documentation on the EERE definition of TRL levels is located at https://www.energy.gov/eere/funding/downloads/guidance-documents

Question 37: How or where do we as a commercial business, make money with this R&D cooperation? Is the intent to introduce the winning granted to numerous opportunities? In other words, what is the project ROI? Why should we do this?
Answer 37: A financial assistance instrument such as a grant or a cooperative agreement is used when the principal purpose of the transaction is to accomplish a public purpose as authorized by Federal statute (31 U.S.C. 6301-08). The DOE cannot provide guidance for business case determinations regarding the submission of an application. The decision whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant.

Question 38: We understand applicants may submit multiple Concepts Papers but only one Full Application for each topic area. However, if we (company, non for profit, etc. – non university etc.) submit more than one concept paper in a topic area and two or more are encouraged to submit a Full Application, may we switch the prime applicant to another organization for submission of the Full Application?
Answer 38: Switching the prime applicant from one entity to another is not allowed. The prime applicant who submits the Concept Paper must also be the entity that submits the Full Application.

Question 39: " Is there a template that you would prefer we use for the concept paper? I see in section IV.A that there are detailed formatting requirements, but I have not seen a specified template. I want to make sure that our document is in compliance.
Answer 39:

There is no template. Please refer to the instruction contained in Section IV A of the FOA.

Question 40: If a subcontractor is a privately held company, can the requirements for Financial Review be modified to protect non-public financial information?
Answer 40: Financial information that is privileged or confidential is exempt from release or disclosure; however, the Government will need to adequately review both estimated costs and the financial capability of the applicant and its team in order to assess reasonableness and financial capability.

Question 41: When are the Concept Paper Recommendation Notifications going to be sent out?
Answer 41: While the FOA specified the anticipated date for Concept Paper Notifications as 04/10/2018, it is expected that the notifications will be sent by 04/13/2018.

Question 42: We are preparing the full application. In the FOA, it is mentioned the support letters from OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers are helpful. But vendors should be exclusive. We feel a bit confused. May I have a ask what is the difference between vendor and supplier?
Answer 42:

Vendors do not provide cost share to a project, and their role in the project is to provide material, equipment, or services for payment. As such, a letter from a non-cost share contributing vendor provides little weight as to the utility or technical feasibility of a technology since the reason for project participation is simply compensation for services which it normally provides in the private sector.

The FOA provided an example of OEM or Tier 1 supplier letters of support. Depending upon the level of commitment, a letter of commitment from a non-cost sharing partner which will provide technical guidance and/or expertise at no cost to the project would be beneficial to development of the technology.

Question 43: Hello, how do I get the info in the 424 to save? I fill it out but when I try to save it, the info in the dialogue boxes disappear. Also, are we supposed to fill out the Environmental Questionnaire by hand? The file is not read-write capable
Answer 43:

Ensure that you first save the SF 424 to your own computer. Testing shows that the form can be saved and completed. Please also check your settings.

A new EQ form is available on Exchange that can be edited.

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

Question 44: Can you please provide us a start date that we should use for the gantt chart and for creating our workplan.
Answer 44:

The anticipated start date is 10/1/18.

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