Funding Notice: U.S. Department of Energy Announces $17.5 Million to Support Cost-Effective Waste-to-Energy Solutions for Local Communities

Office: Bioenergy Technologies Office & Vehicles Technologies Office

FOA number: DE-FOA-0003072

FOA Amount: $17.5 million

Phase 1 Selections to be Announced: ~ October 2024

Link to Apply: WASTE: Waste Analysis and Strategies for Transportation End-Uses funding opportunity

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) announced up to $17.5 million in federal funding to develop cost-effective strategies for communities to sustainably manage and recover potential clean energy sources from their waste streams. The WASTE: Waste Analysis and Strategies for Transportation End-Uses funding opportunity announcement (FOA) will support municipalities and transit authorities with waste-to-energy solutions for converting organic waste into feedstocks for various clean transportation fuel products that can benefit local energy economies. 

Organic waste streams from food waste, wastewater sludge, and industrial operations represent major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and contribute to air and water quality degradation. Significant costs are associated with the management of these waste streams, including treatment, stabilization, hauling and disposal or tipping costs. This funding will also benefit communities by reducing other impacts associated with waste collection and landfilling of these wastes, including reducing heavy vehicle traffic, odors, and litter.

Topic Areas

The FOA supports two Topic Areas focused on aiding local communities develop strategies to manage their waste feedstocks use and create unique processes to produce low-carbon biofuels that reduce GHG emissions. Recognizing that communities may be at different stages in their sustainable waste management planning efforts, this FOA seeks a phased approach to address the above challenges through two Topic Areas:

• Topic Area 1: Feasibility Study Development Analyses
  
  Topic Area 1 is aimed at helping move communities beyond a conceptualization phase by supporting more in-depth feasibility or scoping analysis. Often times, staff and organizational capacity in communities (particularly in rural, remote, Tribal, or smaller communities) is limited. While technical assistance programs can accomplish some of these objectives, direct financial assistance can close this capacity gap. This Topic Areas will include activities such as feasibility studies, identification of transportation use cases, and sustainability indicator baselining. 
  
  This topic aims to achieve the following three outcomes:
  • Explore the potential for local beneficial utilization of waste
  • Quantify the transportation energy savings compared to current practices/fuel usage
  • Identify and quantify local environmental and social sustainability challenges and opportunities.
     
• Topic Area 2: Design Work and Experimental Validation
  
  Topic Area 2 is targeted towards communities that have previously completed feasibility analysis and are seeking funding to further refine their project concept. Municipal and non-profit staff capacity and availability of funding often makes detailed design work out of reach for many communities and this topic aims to close that gap. 
  
  By the end of the project (Phase 1), recipients from Topic Area 2 will have done the following:
  • Completed a Front-End Loaded – 3 (FEL-3) Basic Engineering Design Package
  • Performed a detailed siting analysis that considers a variety of factors, including localized air quality (VOCs, particulate matter, and NOx, at a minimum), net impact on traffic, noise, odors, and other sustainability indicators identified through the prior feasibility analysis.
  • Conducted a limited (up to 50% of the budget) amount of experimental work. The intent of this experimental work is to generate the data needed to refine the engineering design and/or data needed for permitting or air quality analysis.
  • At the conclusion of Phase 1, and subject to a down-select process, recipients will have the opportunity to construct and operate a pilot-scale system. Up to an additional $10,000,000 in federal funds will be available for these activities. Potential applicants are encouraged to review the FOA and read the requirements and information on the down-select process to be eligible for these Phase 2 funds.

DOE intends to award up to 14 financial assistance awards in the form of cooperative agreements lasting 12 to 24 months under this FOA. If selected to construct and operate the pilot facility (Phase 2), an additional 48 months will be available to complete these activities.

Key Dates

Required concept papers are due by 5:00 pm ET, June 19, 2024, and the full application deadline is 5:00 pm ET, on August 14, 2024. 

View the full FOA on EERE Exchange to register and apply. Additional information on the FOA and applicant eligibility is also available on Grants.gov. 

Informational Webinar

An informational webinar for potential applicants was held on Friday, May 10, at 12:00 p.m. ET. View the recording and presentation on EERE Exchange!

Additional Information

Go to BETO’s funding announcement page for other upcoming funding opportunities.   

Interested applicants are encouraged to look at eligibility information in the FOA and review the teaming partner list to identify potential project collaborators and sign up. This FOA seeks community leadership in these projects including municipalities, counties, Tribal government entities, non-profit groups, and community-based organizations. 

Applicant Eligibility

Teaming Partner List

BETO has compiled a Teaming Partner List to encourage collaboration and facilitate the formation of project teams applying for this potential funding. The list allows organizations wishing to apply for funding to explore partnering with other prospective applicants. Partnerships can provide additional expertise and resources to successfully meet funding goals. Please include the following information in your partner list submission:

Topic Field - Please enter the Subtopic Area you are interested in. If you would like to be included in multiple Subtopic Areas, please complete separate submissions.

Background, Interests, Capabilities Field - Please include information about your organization type/characteristics in the “Background, Interest, Capabilities” field to help other participants identify your expertise and resources. BETO also seeks applications from diverse teams of minority-serving institutions (MSIs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Minority Business Enterprises, Minority-Owned Businesses, Woman-Owned Businesses, Veteran-Owned Businesses, and Tribal entities; workforce education and training providers; and labor organizations.

Any organization that would like to be included on this list should submit information via the Teaming Partner List on EERE exchange. Learn more about how to be included on the list.

Disclaimer: By submitting a request to be included on the Teaming Partner List, the requesting organization consents to the publication of the above-referenced information. By enabling and publishing the Teaming Partner List, EERE is not endorsing, sponsoring, or otherwise evaluating the qualifications of the individuals and organizations that are self-identifying themselves for placement on this Teaming Partner List. EERE will not pay for the provision of any information, nor will it compensate any applicants or requesting organizations for the development of such information.