Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002396
DE-FOA-00002396 (FY21 BETO Scale-up and Conversion FOA) is a U.S. Department of Energy funding opportunity run through the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). The core purpose is to fund applied research and development that helps move bioenergy and bio-based product technologies closer to real-world deployment, especially where private industry may hesitate to invest due to high technical risk and uncertainty. The FOA is designed to accelerate growth of the U.S. bioeconomy by improving the ability to convert domestic biomass and a range of waste resources into transportation fuels, renewable chemicals, and renewable power.
The opportunity is grounded in federal authorization under Public Law 109-58, Title IX, Section 932, which directs DOE to support research and development aimed at achieving price-competitive biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower from biomass-based feedstocks. BETO frames this work as part of a broader national energy strategy intended to strengthen energy security, expand domestic job creation, and maintain U.S. leadership in bioenergy technologies. The FOA highlights the large potential U.S. resource base, noting the country could sustainably produce more than one billion tons of biomass, and that tapping additional waste streams can further increase the available feedstock supply and improve overall system economics and sustainability.
From a technical focus standpoint, the FOA requests applications across BETO's mission space, with emphasis on "scale-up and conversion" challenges. It includes Topic Areas drawn from two BETO programs: Conversion Technologies and Systems Development and Integration. While the notice does not list every subtopic in the excerpt provided, the overall intent is clear: support R and D that lowers the minimum selling price of drop-in biofuels, reduces the cost of biopower, and enables higher-value products from biomass or waste-derived carbon. The FOA explicitly acknowledges a wide range of feedstocks and carbon sources, including terrestrial and algal biomass as well as waste streams such as biogas, waste carbon dioxide, and waste plastics. A key performance vision mentioned is enabling industry to demonstrate and deploy high-performing drop-in biofuels and renewable chemicals at a target of $2.50 per gallon gasoline equivalent by 2030, which serves as a guiding cost and competitiveness benchmark for BETO-supported work.
Administratively, awards are planned as cooperative agreements, meaning DOE expects substantial involvement in the funded projects compared with a standard grant. The funding opportunity was issued by DOE's Golden Field Office. The posting indicates an anticipated 27 awards, with an award ceiling of $5,000,000 per award. The opportunity falls under CFDA 81.087, and is categorized under energy-related funding (with the listing also referencing Opportunity Zone Benefits as a category tag).
Eligibility is broad and includes most common public, nonprofit, academic, and private-sector applicant types. Eligible applicants listed include state and local governments (including special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and individuals, with a note that additional eligibility details may appear in the full FOA text. This wide eligibility reflects the reality that successful bioenergy scale-up and conversion projects often require multi-party teams that combine academic expertise, industrial engineering and operations capability, and feedstock or infrastructure access.
The timeline provided in the source data shows a creation date of April 8, 2021, with an original closing date of June 21, 2021. An informational webinar was scheduled for April 16, 2021 at 3:00 PM ET. The webinar was intended to walk through the FOA and the merit review process, but it was specifically focused on Topic Area 1 (Scale-up of Biotechnologies) because of the more complex requirements associated with that area. Participation in the webinar was explicitly described as voluntary and not providing any advantage or disadvantage in the review process.
Overall, the FOA is best understood as a targeted push to de-risk and advance high-impact conversion and scale-up technologies that can turn biomass and difficult waste streams into cost-competitive fuels, chemicals, and power. In practice, DOE is signaling that it wants projects that can materially improve process performance, economics, and integration at scales and conditions relevant to eventual commercial deployment, while aligning with BETO's longer-term cost and market competitiveness targets for drop-in fuels and renewable chemical production.Apply for DE FOA 0002396
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy, opportunity zone benefits sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "DE-FOA-00002396 - FY21 BETO Scale-up and Conversion FOA" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
- This funding opportunity was created on Apr 08, 2021.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 21, 2021. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 27 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, Individuals, For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses, Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is DE-FOA-00002396 (FY21 BETO Scale-up and Conversion FOA)?
DE-FOA-00002396 is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity announcement (FOA) administered through the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE). It supports applied research and development (R&D) focused on scale-up and conversion challenges that move bioenergy and bio-based product technologies closer to real-world deployment.
Which DOE office is running this funding opportunity?
The FOA is run by BETO (Bioenergy Technologies Office) within EERE (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy). The opportunity was issued by DOE's Golden Field Office.
What is the main purpose of this FOA?
The core purpose is to fund applied R&D that helps de-risk and advance bioenergy and bio-based product technologies toward deployment, especially in areas where private industry may be reluctant to invest due to high technical risk and uncertainty.
What outcomes is DOE trying to accelerate through this FOA?
The FOA is designed to accelerate growth of the U.S. bioeconomy by improving the ability to convert domestic biomass and a range of waste resources into transportation fuels, renewable chemicals, and renewable power.
What is the federal authorization basis for this FOA?
The opportunity is grounded in Public Law 109-58, Title IX, Section 932, which directs DOE to support R&D aimed at achieving price-competitive biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower from biomass-based feedstocks.
How does BETO describe the strategic importance of this work?
BETO frames the work as part of a broader national energy strategy intended to strengthen energy security, expand domestic job creation, and maintain U.S. leadership in bioenergy technologies.
What kinds of projects does the FOA want to fund?
The FOA requests applications across BETO's mission space, with emphasis on scale-up and conversion challenges. It targets applied R&D that can materially improve process performance, economics, and integration at scales and conditions relevant to eventual commercial deployment.
What are the main technical topic areas covered?
The FOA includes Topic Areas drawn from two BETO programs: Conversion Technologies and Systems Development and Integration. The excerpt provided does not list every subtopic, but the emphasis is on scale-up and conversion-related R&D.
What performance and economic improvements does DOE want to see?
The FOA indicates an intent to support R&D that lowers the minimum selling price of drop-in biofuels, reduces the cost of biopower, and enables higher-value products from biomass or waste-derived carbon.
Is there a specific cost target mentioned for fuels?
Yes. A guiding benchmark mentioned is enabling industry to demonstrate and deploy high-performing drop-in biofuels and renewable chemicals at a target of $2.50 per gallon gasoline equivalent by 2030.
What feedstocks or carbon sources are relevant to this FOA?
The FOA explicitly acknowledges a wide range of feedstocks and carbon sources, including terrestrial and algal biomass, as well as waste streams such as biogas, waste carbon dioxide, and waste plastics.
Why does the FOA emphasize waste resources in addition to biomass?
The FOA notes that tapping additional waste streams can increase the available feedstock supply and improve overall system economics and sustainability.
How large is the potential U.S. biomass resource base referenced in the FOA?
The FOA highlights that the United States could sustainably produce more than one billion tons of biomass, indicating a large potential domestic resource base.
What type of award instrument will DOE use?
Awards are planned as cooperative agreements, which means DOE expects substantial involvement in the funded projects compared with a standard grant.
How many awards are anticipated under this FOA?
The posting indicates an anticipated total of 27 awards.
What is the maximum funding amount per award?
The award ceiling listed is $5,000,000 per award.
What is the CFDA number associated with this opportunity?
The FOA is listed under CFDA 81.087.
How is this opportunity categorized?
It is categorized as energy-related funding, and the listing also references Opportunity Zone Benefits as a category tag.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is broad and includes state and local governments (including special districts), public and private institutions of higher education, federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations, public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status, for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses), small businesses, and individuals. The FOA also notes that additional eligibility details may appear in the full FOA text.
Are for-profit companies eligible (including companies that are not small businesses)?
Yes. For-profit organizations are listed as eligible, including those other than small businesses.
Are tribes and tribal organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Federally recognized tribal governments and other tribal organizations are listed among eligible applicants.
Are universities and colleges eligible?
Yes. Both public and private institutions of higher education are listed as eligible applicants.
Can an individual apply?
Yes. Individuals are included in the eligibility list, with a note that additional eligibility details may be included in the full FOA.
Why does the FOA suggest multi-party teams may be common?
The FOA notes that successful bioenergy scale-up and conversion projects often require multi-party teams combining academic expertise, industrial engineering and operations capability, and feedstock or infrastructure access.
When was this FOA created and when did it close?
The timeline provided shows a creation date of April 8, 2021, and an original closing date of June 21, 2021.
Was there an informational webinar for applicants?
Yes. An informational webinar was scheduled for April 16, 2021 at 3:00 PM ET to walk through the FOA and the merit review process.
What did the webinar focus on?
The webinar was specifically focused on Topic Area 1 (Scale-up of Biotechnologies) due to more complex requirements associated with that area.
Was attending the webinar required to apply?
No. Participation in the webinar was described as voluntary.
Did attending the webinar affect application review outcomes?
No. The FOA states that participation in the webinar would not provide any advantage or disadvantage in the review process.
What is the FOA ultimately trying to achieve in practical terms?
In practical terms, DOE is signaling interest in projects that can de-risk and advance high-impact conversion and scale-up technologies to turn biomass and difficult waste streams into cost-competitive fuels, chemicals, and power, while aligning with BETO's longer-term cost and market competitiveness targets.
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