Solar Energy Technologies Office Grant for Fiscal Year 2019

The eligibility requirements under Section III.A. of this section apply to all applicants of this FOA, except:

Topic 1 Eligibility Restriction: DOE and National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) and national laboratories are not eligible to apply as prime recipients and may be included only as subrecipients on applications for Topic 1: Photovoltaics Research and Development. The scope of work performed by the prime recipient shall not be less than the scope of work performed by the subrecipients who are ineligible to be prime applicants, as measured by the total project costs.

Topic 4 Eligibility Restriction: Eligibility is restricted to for-profit entities as the prime recipient of awards under Topic Area 4: Innovations in Manufacturing. Eligibility is restricted under Topic Area 4, because SETO believes that for-profit entities are the most likely entities to achieve the objectives required under this topic area, as they are the only entities with the capacity to rapidly commercialize new technologies related to innovations in manufacturing. The scope of work performed by the prime recipient shall not be less than the scope of work performed by the subrecipients who are ineligible to be prime applicants, as measured by the total project costs.

Add resiliency of critical infrastructure on Page 4.
Edited the Cost and Performance Targets for CSP Components and Potential Material And Manufacturing Innovations table on pages 38 and 39.
Clarify field demonstration requirements for portions of Topic Area 5, see highlights throughout Topic Area 5 on pages 57-72.
Add encouragement for applicants to work with critical infrastructure owners and operators, industry, academia, and other stakeholders including state, local, tribal and territories entities to use the demonstration to improve resiliency to critical national security assets, such as defense facilities, and/or surrounding areas. Pages 59-60. Add an additional Topic not of interest for Topic Area 5 and clarification on Adaptive Protection for Distribution Grids on page 62.
Add resiliency of critical infrastructure to Program Policy Factors on page 114.

The Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) works across the solar energy technology spectrum with the goal of improving the affordability, reliability, and performance of solar technologies on the grid. Ensuring that more Americans can benefit from the declining costs of solar is one of SETO’s primary goals, which support early-stage research, development, and demonstration of solar technologies. Achieving SETO’s priorities across the solar energy technology landscape requires sustained, multifaceted innovation. With this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the office intends to fund high-impact, early-stage research in the following areas:

Topic Area 1: Photovoltaics Research and Development

Topic Area 2: Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Research and Development

Topic Area 3: Balance of Systems Soft Costs Reduction

Topic Area 4: Innovations in Manufacturing: Hardware Incubator

Topic Area 5: Advanced Solar Systems Integration Technologies

The eligibility requirements under Section III.A. of this section apply to all applicants of this FOA, except:

Topic 1 Eligibility Restriction: DOE and National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) and national laboratories are not eligible to apply as prime recipients and may be included only as subrecipients on applications for Topic 1: Photovoltaics Research and Development. The scope of work performed by the prime recipient shall not be less than the scope of work performed by the subrecipients who are ineligible to be prime applicants, as measured by the total project costs.

Topic 4 Eligibility Restriction: Eligibility is restricted to for-profit entities as the prime recipient of awards under Topic Area 4: Innovations in Manufacturing. Eligibility is restricted under Topic Area 4, because SETO believes that for-profit entities are the most likely entities to achieve the objectives required under this topic area, as they are the only entities with the capacity to rapidly commercialize new technologies related to innovations in manufacturing. The scope of work performed by the prime recipient shall not be less than the scope of work performed by the subrecipients who are ineligible to be prime applicants, as measured by the total project costs.

Add resiliency of critical infrastructure on Page 4.
Edited the Cost and Performance Targets for CSP Components and Potential Material And Manufacturing Innovations table on pages 38 and 39.
Clarify field demonstration requirements for portions of Topic Area 5, see highlights throughout Topic Area 5 on pages 57-72.
Add encouragement for applicants to work with critical infrastructure owners and operators, industry, academia, and other stakeholders including state, local, tribal and territories entities to use the demonstration to improve resiliency to critical national security assets, such as defense facilities, and/or surrounding areas. Pages 59-60. Add an additional Topic not of interest for Topic Area 5 and clarification on Adaptive Protection for Distribution Grids on page 62.
Add resiliency of critical infrastructure to Program Policy Factors on page 114.

The Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) works across the solar energy technology spectrum with the goal of improving the affordability, reliability, and performance of solar technologies on the grid. Ensuring that more Americans can benefit from the declining costs of solar is one of SETO’s primary goals, which support early-stage research, development, and demonstration of solar technologies. Achieving SETO’s priorities across the solar energy technology landscape requires sustained, multifaceted innovation. With this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the office intends to fund high-impact, early-stage research in the following areas:

Topic Area 1: Photovoltaics Research and Development

Topic Area 2: Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Research and Development

Topic Area 3: Balance of Systems Soft Costs Reduction

Topic Area 4: Innovations in Manufacturing: Hardware Incubator

Topic Area 5: Advanced Solar Systems Integration Technologies

The eligibility requirements under Section III.A. of this section apply to all applicants of this FOA, except:

Topic 1 Eligibility Restriction: DOE and National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) and national laboratories are not eligible to apply as prime recipients and may be included only as subrecipients on applications for Topic 1: Photovoltaics Research and Development. The scope of work performed by the prime recipient shall not be less than the scope of work performed by the subrecipients who are ineligible to be prime applicants, as measured by the total project costs.

Topic 4 Eligibility Restriction: Eligibility is restricted to for-profit entities as the prime recipient of awards under Topic Area 4: Innovations in Manufacturing. Eligibility is restricted under Topic Area 4, because SETO believes that for-profit entities are the most likely entities to achieve the objectives required under this topic area, as they are the only entities with the capacity to rapidly commercialize new technologies related to innovations in manufacturing. The scope of work performed by the prime recipient shall not be less than the scope of work performed by the subrecipients who are ineligible to be prime applicants, as measured by the total project costs.

Topic Area 1: Photovoltaics Research and Development

Topic Area 2: Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Research and Development

Topic Area 3: Balance of Systems Soft Costs Reduction

Topic Area 4: Innovations in Manufacturing: Hardware Incubator

Topic Area 5: Advanced Solar Systems Integration Technologies

The eligibility requirements under Section III.A. of this section apply to all applicants of this FOA, except:

Topic 1 Eligibility Restriction: DOE and National Nuclear Security Agency (NNSA) Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDC) and national laboratories are not eligible to apply as prime recipients and may be included only as subrecipients on applications for Topic 1: Photovoltaics Research and Development. The scope of work performed by the prime recipient shall not be less than the scope of work performed by the subrecipients who are ineligible to be prime applicants, as measured by the total project costs.

Topic 4 Eligibility Restriction: Eligibility is restricted to for-profit entities as the prime recipient of awards under Topic Area 4: Innovations in Manufacturing. Eligibility is restricted under Topic Area 4, because SETO believes that for-profit entities are the most likely entities to achieve the objectives required under this topic area, as they are the only entities with the capacity to rapidly commercialize new technologies related to innovations in manufacturing. The scope of work performed by the prime recipient shall not be less than the scope of work performed by the subrecipients who are ineligible to be prime applicants, as measured by the total project costs.

Topic Area 1: Photovoltaics Research and Development

Topic Area 2: Concentrating Solar-Thermal Power Research and Development

Topic Area 3: Balance of Systems Soft Costs Reduction

Topic Area 4: Innovations in Manufacturing: Hardware Incubator

Topic Area 5: Advanced Solar Systems Integration Technologies