Funding Notice: $8 Million for New High-Voltage Direct Current Grid Modernization

Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0003396
Link to Apply: FedConnect: Opportunity Summary
Funding Amount: $8 million 
Due Date for Applications: February 28, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. ET 

**Note: The Office of Electricity has additional funding opportunities. For more information, see the full announcement. 

The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE) and Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) today announced funding for research and development (R&D) projects focused on high-voltage direct current power circuit breakers (HV DCCBs). High-voltage direct current (HVDC) technology is crucial to efficiently move large amounts of renewable energy, like wind, over long distances with minimal power loss. 

This $8 million funding opportunity ($7 million from OE, $1 million from WETO) aims to fill a critical gap in HVDC system protection by developing technical standards and exploring innovative ways to make HV DCCB technology more cost-effective and efficient. Advancing HVDC systems helps connect more renewable energy to the grid, supporting a more affordable and reliable energy future. 

Projects funded under this program will focus on two key areas:  

Topic Area 1: Technical Standards for High-Voltage Direct Current Power Circuit Breakers 
Unlike alternating current (AC) systems, HVDC systems lack well-established technical standards, especially for multi-terminal HVDC (MTDC) transmission systems. This Topic Area seeks to create new standards for HVDC power circuit breakers, including technical specifications and functional requirements. Awardees will coordinate with ongoing DOE efforts to expand the suite of HVDC standards. 

Topic Area 2: Innovative High-Voltage Direct Current Power Circuit Breaker Designs 
Currently, only one major manufacturer offers commercially available HV DCCBs in the United States, limiting the technology’s accessibility. This Topic Area focuses on exploring innovative design concepts to lower costs, reduce the size of HV DCCB systems, and make the technology more commercially viable. These improvements aim to encourage broader adoption of HV DCCBs to support future MTDC transmission networks.