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). Some of the awards made under this FOA will be funded with funds appropriated by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL).
This FOA will invest appropriations of $45 million over three years for development of new solar photovoltaics (PV) technologies to improve U.S. domestic manufacturing and competitiveness and secure our domestic energy supply chains.
The activities under this FOA are partly funded by BIL section 41007(c)(2)—the Advanced Solar Energy Manufacturing Initiative, which appropriates $20 million to carry out this activity, and was authorized by the Energy Act of 2020. In addition, appropriations from fiscal year 2023 will be used, authorized under Division Z Section 3004(b) of the Energy Act of 2020, (42 U.S.C. 16238(b)). These activities support the broader government-wide approach to strengthening critical domestic manufacturing and supply chains and to maximize the benefits of the clean energy transition as the nation works to curb the climate crisis, empower workers, and advance environmental justice. These BIL sections are focused on: Photovoltaics and Manufacturability of low cost, high quality solar systems
This funding opportunity has two topic areas. Topic 1 is focused on demonstration activities that support the domestic silicon PV module supply chain. Topic 2 is focused on RD&D and product development for dual-use PV with the aim of developing these market segments in the United States and increasing deployment.In both Topic Areas, SETO funding aims to 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. This will help address SETO’s aims to support U.S. manufacturing across the solar value chain.
Deadlines:
- Required Concept Papers: Sep. 27, 2023
- Full Applications: Nov. 14, 2023
Topic Area 1: Pilot Demonstration of Silicon Supply Chain Components – 3-4 projects, $1-10 million each
Projects will conduct pilot-scale testing and demonstration of innovative products or solutions that can substantively increase the domestic manufacturing of silicon photovoltaics (PV) in all segments of the supply chain. These demonstration projects will accelerate manufacturing innovations that are part of the silicon solar module supply chain such as: silicon production, silicon ingot and wafering, solar cells, glass and backsheets and other module components, and associated manufacturing equipment.
Topic Area 2: Dual-use PV Incubator – 2-8 projects, $1-1.6 million each
Projects will develop products that can open new markets for emerging dual-use PV sectors, in particular agricultural PV or agrivoltaics, building-integrated PV, floating PV, and vehicle-integrated PV. These markets require application-specific hardware, including PV cells, modules, mounting, and other dedicated balance-of-system components.
The proposed prime recipient must be a domestic, for-profit entity.
The following types of domestic entities are eligible to participate as subrecipients of this FOA: 1. Institutions of higher education; 2. For-profit entities; 3. Non-profit entities; and 4. State and local governmental entities, and tribal nations.
An entity may submit more than one Concept Paper and Full Application to this FOA, provided that each application describes a unique, scientifically distinct project and provided that an eligible Concept Paper was submitted for each Full Application.