Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0001601
FOA Type: Initial
CFDA Number: 81.087
Summary:
Through this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Office (GTO) seeks to conduct feasibility studies of large-scale, low-temperature deep-well geothermal systems coupled with advanced direct-use applications and cascaded surface technologies whose applications will extend the reach of geothermal into geologically distinct parts of the country beyond the western U.S. These systems are referred to herein as deep direct-use or DDU. Feasibility studies funded under this FOA will support subsequent geothermal direct-use applied research and analysis projects, also known as renewable thermal applications, which seek to harvest heat from geothermal brines and use it to directly heat (or cool) buildings, as well as for other beneficial thermal processes. By displacing high-temperature power generation with low-to-medium temperature geothermal fluids, significant energy conservation gains can be achieved for end-use processes with moderate temperature requirements. Direct-use geothermal applications have the potential to provide cost-effective, renewable thermal energy in large portions of the U.S.
The concept for DDU is to engineer large-scale, multi-application geothermal direct-use projects that can replace or be installed in lieu of conventional district heating and cooling systems; along with other cascading thermal applications such as water heating, ice making, laundry drying, pool and sauna heating, etc. If the geothermal resource temperature is sufficient, the system could also be a combined heat and power (CHP) application, with the fluid generating power from a binary unit(s) prior to the direct-use applications.
This FOA is comprised of two topic areas. Topic Area 1 “DDU Feasibility Assessment” consists of establishing criteria and then modeling/analyzing results to determine the techno-economic feasibility of potential deep direct-use sites. Topic Area 2 “DDU Community of Practice Administration and Techno-Economic Validation of DDU Projects” is seeking a competent professional or team of professionals to benchmark DDU project data and provide broad outreach regarding awards made under Topic Area 1.
- Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00pm ET the due date listed above to be eligible to submit a Full Application.
- To apply to this FOA, applicants must register with and submit application materials through EERE Exchange at https://eere-Exchange.energy.gov, EERE’s online application portal.
- Applicants must designate primary and backup points-of-contact in EERE Exchange with whom EERE will communicate to conduct award negotiations. If an application is selected for award negotiations, it is not a commitment to issue an award. It is imperative that the applicant/selectee be responsive during award negotiations and meet negotiation deadlines. Failure to do so may result in cancelation of further award negotiations and rescission of the Selection.
Additional details can be found here.
Funding amounts and schedules are subject to change.