The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the availability of a US$50 million funding opportunity through the Office of Fossil Energy to design, construct, and operate two large-scale pilots for transformational coal technologies that improve coal-powered systems’ performance, efficiency, emission reduction and cost of electricity.
The DOE has supported a range of potentially transformational coal technologies aimed at enabling step-change improvements in coal-powered systems. Some of these technologies are now ready to proceed to the large-scale pilot stage of development.
Applicants to this new FOA should have already demonstrated technical success at a small-scale pilot stage, and a 20% minimum cost share on total award values is required.
The FOA will involve three phases, with down-selections made between phases:
- Phase I (feasibility) will support efforts to secure team commitments; update the preliminary cost estimate and schedule for design, construction, and operation; secure construction/operation cost-share funding; and complete an environmental information volume.
- Phase II (design) selected projects will complete a front-end engineering design study, and complete the National Environmental Policy Act process.
- Phase III (construction/operation) will ultimately be the two, final projects selected to support construction and operation of the large-scale pilot facilities.