Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) announced its intent to issue, on behalf of the Advanced Manufacturing Office (AMO), a funding opportunity to stimulate technology innovation, improve the energy productivity of American manufacturing, and enable the manufacturing of cutting-edge products in the United States.

Manufacturing competitiveness is a top priority for the Trump Administration. In 2018, the White House identified advanced manufacturing as one of the vital industries of the future. In its report, “Strategy for American Leadership in Advanced Manufacturing,” the White House explained, “Federal agencies play key roles in fostering the growth of advanced manufacturing through investments in research and development and in education and workforce development.”

Through this funding opportunity, DOE is advancing the Trump Administration’s goal of enhancing manufacturing competitiveness through technological innovation. Specifically, the funding opportunity seeks to invest in new industrial technologies, materials, and processes to create and sustain American leadership in advanced manufacturing.

The potential Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), entitled “FY20 Advanced Manufacturing Multi-topic FOA,” is intended to fund high-impact, applied research and development projects that integrate specified research opportunities across AMO. It will focus on three areas:

  1. Next-generation manufacturing processes that improve energy efficiency in energy-intensive and energy-dependent industries, including steel manufacturing.
  2. Modular, hybrid, and/or catalytic processes to improve energy efficiency in chemical manufacturing.
  3. Connected, flexible, and efficient manufacturing facilities, products and energy systems, including the integration of direct air capture at industrial facilities.

View the Notice of Intent and submission instructions here. DOE plans to issue the FOA via EERE Exchange in spring 2020.

EERE's Advanced Manufacturing Office supports early-stage research to advance innovation in U.S. manufacturing and promote American economic growth and energy security.