The 2024 Annual Technology Commercialization Fund Is Now Open

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is soliciting applications for the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) Core Laboratory Infrastructure for Market Readiness (CLIMR) Lab Call. The Wind Energy Technologies Office seeks proposals from National Laboratories to advance the commercialization of individual energy-related technologies for the following topic area:

Remote Sensing Technologies in Wind Energy. By measuring conditions across and above the turbine rotor, remote sensing technologies play a crucial role in the field of wind energy by providing accurate and detailed information about wind resources, wind turbine performance, and environmental impacts.

Applications must meet adoption readiness level 5 or above, propose a maximum federal funding of $750K per project, and demonstrate clear evidence of commercial potential that combines technology progress with market pull or interest. Examples of projects that address aspects of remote sensing in wind include:

• Weather forecasting in wind energy. Remote sensing techniques like LIDAR and radar are used in weather forecasting to monitor and predict wind patterns and severe weather events and in wind energy development to assess potential wind farm sites. These systems can provide valuable data for tracking the movement and intensity of storms and other weather phenomena and can also help developers determine feasibility and later, productivity, of a wind energy project.
• Wind and stability profiling: Remote sensing can be used to create wind profiles in the atmosphere. This involves measuring wind speed and direction, temperature, and humidity at various altitudes to understand how wind conditions change with height. This information is crucial for applications in wind energy.
• Environmental monitoring. Remote sensing can help wind farm developers assess and mitigate the environmental impact of their projects. By monitoring bird and bat activity and flight patterns, wind farms can implement curtailment strategies to reduce wildlife collisions.
• Energy storage integration. Remote sensing can also assist in the integration of energy storage solutions within wind farms. By providing accurate data on wind conditions and energy generation, wind farms can better plan the charging and discharging of energy storage systems, improving grid stability and energy dispatch.
• Low power remote sensing systems. Remote sensing capabilities that can be realized on smaller power budgets add new “in-the-field capabilities” for resource characterization and environmental monitoring. This includes their ability to be deployed on small mobile platforms for sustained observation campaigns.

Key Dates

Register and attend an informational webinar on November 15, 2023, 2–3 pm ET. This informational webinar will go over important details of the lab call and will provide an opportunity for attendees to ask questions.

The deadline to submit concept papers is January 16, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET.

The deadline to submit full applications is March 14, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET.

DOE expects to make selection notifications in the third quarter of FY24.

All application materials must be submitted through Exchange.