Funding Amount: Up to $12,000,000
Open Date: May 1, 2018
Funding Number: DE-FOA-0001919
The U.S. Department of Energy announced up to $12 million to support the Co-Optimization of Fuels and Engines Initiative (Co-Optima), jointly funded by the Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) and the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO). Co-Optima is a collaborative research and development effort between the two offices that supports research of fuel and engine innovations to maximize vehicle performance and fuel efficiency. The initiative is accelerating the introduction of affordable, scalable, and sustainable biofuels and high-efficiency, low-emission vehicle engines.
This opportunity to advance Co-Optima is Topic Area 5 of the FY 2018 Advanced Vehicle Technologies Research FOA. The Co-Optima Topic Area (Topic Area 5) has two subtopics:
Topic Area 5a: Multi-Mode Optimized Fuel/Engine System Development. The objective of this area of interest is to develop a co-optimized (engine and fuel) prototype light-duty, multi-cylinder reciprocating engine with a minimum 150 horsepower (hp). DOE seeks proposals from multidisciplinary industry teams to develop such engine platforms operating in a spark-ignition or compression ignition multimode combustion regime over a broad range of engine operating conditions with a suitable co-optimized fuel. Applicant teams must include: 1) a vehicle or engine manufacturer that has produced at least 20,000 vehicles or a Tier I supplier that has provided major componentry for at least 20,000 engines; and, 2) a fuel manufacturer or fuel supplier.
Topic Area 5b: Bioblendstocks to Optimize Mixing Controlled Compression Ignition (MCCI) Engines. For medium- and heavy-duty vehicles, the Co-Optima approach is to focus on reducing engine-out emissions, while maintaining or improving efficiency in MCCI engines and potentially advanced compression ignition engines. DOE seeks proposals to develop and demonstrate single component or multi-component bioblendstocks for use in medium- and heavy-duty mixing controlled, compression ignition engines blended into a base diesel fuel at no less than 5% by volume that achieve greenhouse gas reductions of at least 50% compared to conventional petroleum-derived diesel. Applicant teams should include university and/or industry members and could include a vehicle or engine manufacturer.
Successful applicant teams for both topic areas will work closely with the national laboratories and universities that are currently a part of the Co-Optima Initiative. Projects awarded under this FOA will complement ongoing work at the national labs and universities and will enable a deeper engagement with industry.
Learn more about this funding opportunity and apply. Concept papers are due by May 29, 2018. Full applications are due by July 13, 2018.
DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) supports early-stage R&D of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies that make energy more affordable and strengthen the U.S. economy.