Funding Notice: Long-Duration Energy Storage Pilot Program

Office: Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations

Solicitation Number: DE-FOA-0003399

Access the Solicitation: OCED eXCHANGE

FOA Amount: up to $100 million

Background Information

On September 5, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) opened applications for up to $100 million in federal funding to support pilot-scale energy storage demonstration projects. This funding—made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law—will focus on non-lithium technologies, long-duration (10+ hour discharge) systems, and stationary storage applications. OCED aims to use this funding to move energy storage technologies closer to commercial viability and utility-scale deployment, ultimately propelling the nation toward a carbon free clean energy economy. 

Eligibility

Applicant teams must include at least one technology provider as a recipient or a subrecipient. Priority will be given to proposals that include utility, developer, and/or end user members, a plan to demonstrate the solution in an operational environment, and a plan to build investor confidence to secure support for follow on projects. 

The following entities are eligible to apply as recipients: (1) State energy office, (2) Indian Tribe, (3) Tribal organization, (4) Institute of higher education, (5) Electric utility (including electric cooperatives, Tribal utilities, municipally owned electric utilities, and investor-owned utilities), and (6) Private energy storage companies.

Download the full funding opportunity for more information on eligibility. 

Topic Areas

This Notice of Funding Opportunity will fund demonstrations of a variety of energy storage solutions at pilot-scale to advance technology maturity, reduce uncertainty in cost and performance characteristics, generate operational datasets, and increase investor and end-user confidence in technical and commercial maturation pathways and timelines. DOE will consider proposals that include (non-exhaustive):

  • Electrochemical solutions, including flow and non-flow batteries. 
  • Mechanical solutions, including both pressure and gravity based. 
  • Thermal solutions, including sensible, latent and thermochemical heat storage mechanisms configured for electrical to electrical, electrical to thermal, and thermal to thermal input-output configurations. 

Funding will support technology maturation activities including design for manufacturability, pilot system development, fabrication and installation, operational testing and validation, and commercial scale system design and supply chain maturation.

OCED intends to fund 5-15 projects with an award size of at least $5 million and no more than $20 million in federal funds. Each award is required to provide a minimum of 50% non-federal cost share.

Download the full funding opportunity for more information.

Key Dates

Applications Open:9/5/2024
Deadline for Concept Papers:10/16/2024 by 5 p.m., ET 
Deadline for Full Applications: 2/13/2025 by 5 p.m., ET 
Anticipated Award Date: Summer 2025 

Additional Information