Funding Notice: Gasification of Alternative Feedstocks

Office: Carbon Management
FOA number: DE-FOA-0003394
Download the full funding opportunity: FedConnect
Funding Amount: $15,000,000

Background Information

On September 23, 2023, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced up to $15 million in federal funding to make clean hydrogen a more available and affordable fuel for electricity generation, industrial decarbonization, and  transportation. Specifically, the funding opportunity will support research and development projects that convert feedstocks—such as coal, biomass, petcoke, household waste, industrial wastes, and waste plastics—into synthesis gas, also known as syngas, to enable the low-cost production of clean hydrogen. The use of low-carbon fuels like clean hydrogen will help achieve the Biden-Harris Administration goal of a net-zero emissions economy by 2050.

Hydrogen can be produced through low-carbon pathways using diverse, domestic resources—including natural gas and coal, coupled with carbon capture and storage; through splitting of water using nuclear electricity and renewable electricity sources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, and hydro-electric power; and from biomass through biological and gasification processes. Gasification of coal, biomass, plastics, common household garbage and other wastes—coupled with carbon capture and storage to address greenhouse gas emissions—is expected to be a low-cost, low-carbon route to producing clean hydrogen.

Technology advanced under this FOA will support DOE’s Hydrogen Shot initiative, which seeks to reduce the cost of clean hydrogen by 80% to $1 per 1 kilogram in one decade to enable the commercial development of new, clean hydrogen pathways in the United States.

Eligibility

Eligible applicants include individuals, institutions of higher education, for- and non-profit organizations, state and local governments, and tribal nations.

Areas of Interest 

This funding opportunity announcement has two areas of interest:

1. Research and development toward demonstration of entrained flow gasification technologies for alternative feedstocks. Feedstock preparation and slag handling are of particular importance. The prototype or near-prototype system demonstrated must include and functionally integrate all unit operations that pertain to feedstock preparation, gasification, syngas cleanup, and slag handling. 
    
2. Research and development toward demonstration of fluidized bed gasification technologies for alternative feedstocks. Feedstock preparation, tar mitigation for clean syngas production, and ash handling are of particular importance. The prototype or near-prototype system demonstrated must include and functionally integrate all unit operations pertaining to feedstock preparation, gasification, syngas cleanup, and ash handling. 

Funding 

DOE expects to make up to 5 awards for up to $15 million in total funding with a minimum of a 20% cost-sharing from the awardees.

Key Dates

Additional Information 

• Download the full funding opportunity on FedConnect
• All applicants must register and apply on Grants.gov and submit questions through FedConnect

Last Updated: September 23, 2024