Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002442
The Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), issued a Notice of Intent announcing its plan to release a forthcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) identified as DE-FOA-0002438, titled "Design, R&D, Validation, and Fabrication of a Prototype Carbon-Based Building." The overall purpose of the planned FOA is to fund work that moves beyond basic materials research and into a real, integrated building demonstration, specifically focused on carbon-based construction materials. In practical terms, the opportunity is meant to support teams that can design a prototype building concept, perform the necessary research and development to make the materials and components workable, validate performance through testing and analysis, and ultimately fabricate a prototype that shows the concept is viable in a building context rather than only in a lab.
A defining feature of this planned effort is the required composition of the building materials used in the prototype. To qualify as meeting the project objectives, the prototype building must be constructed from component building materials that are at least 70 percent carbon by weight, and at least 51 percent of that carbon (by weight) must be derived from coal. These thresholds are central to the program's intent: the building is not just "low-carbon" in the climate sense, but explicitly carbon-rich in its material makeup, and it must significantly incorporate coal-derived carbon. The point is to demonstrate that coal-derived carbon can be converted into high-value construction materials and products, potentially opening new markets for coal feedstocks through advanced materials pathways.
The FOA's emphasis is not only technical performance but also economic credibility. The prototype building is expected to demonstrate both technical and economic viability, meaning the materials and building approach should show credible performance characteristics (such as structural suitability, durability, constructability, and other relevant building-material properties) while also indicating a plausible path to cost-effective manufacturing and deployment. The opportunity is essentially framed as a validation step: proving that carbon-based, coal-derived building materials can be engineered into components suitable for real-world construction and that the resulting building concept makes sense as a product, not just a research novelty.
Administratively, the notice indicates the funding instrument is anticipated to be a cooperative agreement, which typically means DOE expects substantial involvement during the project, such as collaboration on technical direction, milestones, and oversight. The opportunity is listed under the Energy funding activity category and references CFDA number 81.089. Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of applicant entity, subject to any additional eligibility details that would be provided in the actual FOA text. The notice also lists an award ceiling of 2 (as provided in the source data) and shows expected awards as 0, which is consistent with the document being a Notice of Intent rather than the final competitive solicitation making awards.
Finally, it is important to read the notice in the context provided by DOE: this is explicitly informational only. DOE states it is not requesting comments on the notice content, and the notice itself is not the full solicitation. In other words, it signals DOE's intent and outlines key program parameters (especially the carbon and coal-derived carbon content requirements), but the formal requirements, evaluation criteria, submission instructions, cost share rules (if any), and detailed technical scope would be contained in the actual FOA once issued. The creation date in the source data is November 12, 2020, with an original closing date listed as December 7, 2020, reflecting the administrative timeline associated with the posting of this notice and the anticipated solicitation process.Apply for DE FOA 0002442
- The Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Notice of Intent to issue DE-FOA-0002438 titled Design, R&D, Validation, and Fabrication of a Prototype Carbon-Based Building" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.089.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 12, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 07, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $2.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the name and identifier of this funding opportunity?
The Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), announced its intent to release a forthcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) identified as DE-FOA-0002438, titled "Design, R&D, Validation, and Fabrication of a Prototype Carbon-Based Building."
Is this document the actual FOA I can apply to?
No. The information provided is a Notice of Intent, which is described as informational only. It signals DOE's plan to issue a future FOA, but it is not the full solicitation and does not contain full application requirements.
What is DOE trying to fund through the planned FOA?
The planned FOA is intended to fund work that goes beyond basic materials research and results in a real, integrated building demonstration centered on carbon-based construction materials. The expected scope includes designing a prototype building concept, performing R&D to make materials and components workable, validating performance through testing and analysis, and fabricating a prototype to demonstrate viability in a building context.
What is the overall purpose of the planned project work?
The purpose is to demonstrate that carbon-based (and specifically coal-derived) construction materials can be engineered into functional building components and used in an integrated prototype building, showing both technical viability and economic credibility as a product pathway rather than a lab-only concept.
What makes this opportunity distinct compared to typical "low-carbon" building programs?
This planned effort is not framed around reducing carbon content. Instead, it focuses on a building that is explicitly carbon-rich by material composition, with strict minimum thresholds for total carbon content and coal-derived carbon content in the building materials used.
What carbon content is required for the prototype building materials?
To meet the project objectives described in the notice, the prototype building must be constructed from component building materials that are at least 70 percent carbon by weight.
How much of the carbon must come from coal?
At least 51 percent of the carbon (by weight) must be derived from coal. This requirement is central to the intent of demonstrating coal-derived carbon as a feedstock for high-value building materials.
Why does the notice require coal-derived carbon content?
The stated intent is to demonstrate that coal-derived carbon can be converted into high-value construction materials and products, potentially opening new markets for coal feedstocks through advanced materials pathways.
What kinds of activities are expected to be supported (based on the notice)?
Based on the description provided, the planned FOA is expected to support a sequence of activities: design of a prototype building concept, research and development to mature materials and components, validation through testing and analysis, and fabrication of a prototype to demonstrate the integrated concept.
What does "validation" mean in the context of this planned FOA?
The notice frames the effort as a validation step where teams demonstrate the concept works in a building context. It specifically mentions validating performance through testing and analysis, aimed at proving suitability beyond the laboratory environment.
What performance aspects does DOE appear to care about?
The notice indicates an expectation of credible performance characteristics relevant to buildings and building materials, including examples such as structural suitability, durability, and constructability, along with other relevant building-material properties.
Is economic viability part of the planned evaluation focus?
Yes. The notice states the prototype building is expected to demonstrate both technical and economic viability. In practical terms, this means showing not only that the materials and components perform, but also that there is a plausible path toward cost-effective manufacturing and deployment.
What is the anticipated funding instrument?
The notice indicates the anticipated funding instrument is a cooperative agreement.
What does it mean that the award is anticipated to be a cooperative agreement?
The notice explains that a cooperative agreement typically means DOE expects substantial involvement during the project, such as collaboration on technical direction, milestones, and oversight.
Which DOE office or lab is associated with this planned FOA?
The planned FOA is issued through DOE via the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
What funding activity category is listed?
The opportunity is listed under the Energy funding activity category.
What CFDA number is referenced in the notice?
The notice references CFDA 81.089.
Who is eligible to apply based on the notice?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of applicant entity, subject to any additional eligibility details that would be provided in the actual FOA text once issued.
How many awards are expected?
The notice lists an award ceiling of 2 (as shown in the source data). It also shows expected awards as 0, which aligns with the fact that this is a Notice of Intent rather than the final competitive solicitation making awards.
Does the notice request public comments?
No. DOE states it is not requesting comments on the notice content.
Where will the official requirements and instructions be provided?
The notice makes clear that the formal requirements, including evaluation criteria, submission instructions, cost share rules (if any), and the detailed technical scope, would be contained in the actual FOA once it is issued.
What are the key takeaways for teams considering this opportunity?
Based on the notice, the defining elements are: (1) moving from materials R&D to an integrated prototype building demonstration, (2) meeting the strict 70% carbon by weight requirement for component building materials, (3) ensuring at least 51% of the carbon is coal-derived, and (4) addressing both technical performance and a credible economic path toward broader deployment.
What dates are associated with this Notice of Intent?
The source data lists a creation date of November 12, 2020, and an original closing date of December 7, 2020, reflecting the administrative timeline for the notice and anticipated solicitation process.
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| Carbon Capture Research and Development For Natural Gas and Industrial Point Sources and Front End Engineering Design Studies for Carbon Capture Systems at Industrial Facilities and Natural Gas Plants. Apply for DE FOA 0002410 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002410 Agency: Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: $6,000,000 |
| ADVANCED COAL WASTE PROCESSING: PRODUCTION OF COAL-ENHANCED FILAMENTS OR RESINS FOR ADVANCED MANUFACTURING AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF COAL-DERIVED GRAPHITE Apply for DE FOA 0002405 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002405 Agency: Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: $1,000,000 |
| Carbon Capture Research and Development For Natural Gas and Industrial Point Sources and Front End Engineering Design Studies for Carbon Capture Systems at Industrial Facilities and Natural Gas Plants. Apply for DE FOA 0002515 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002515 Agency: Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory Category: Energy Funding Amount: $6,000,000 |
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