Past Water Power Funding Opportunities | Department of Energy

This page provides a brief summary of past funding opportunities that were released by the Water Power Technologies Office.

For information about current opportunities, see the Current Opportunities page.

Fiscal Year (FY) 2022

Technology Area	Type of Funding	Opportunity Announcement	Open Date	Close Date	Selection Announcement
Hydropower	RFI	Data and Research Needs for Climate Change-Informed Hydropower Operation and Research Planning	4/4/22	8/8/22	N/A
Hydropower	Prize	Hydropower Operations Optimization (H2O) Prize Phase One	4/6/22	5/20/22	WPTO Announces Phase One Winners in Hydropower Prize to Improve Grid Reliability and Resiliency
Marine Energy	Prize	Marine Energy Collegiate Competition	4/7/22	5/8/22	DOE Announces Winners of 2022 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition
Hydropower	Prize	Hydropower Collegiate Competition	4/7/22	5/8/22	First Hydropower Collegiate Competition and 2023 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition Competitors Announced
Hydropower	Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)	DE-FOA-0002417: Technology Innovation To Increase Hydropower Flexibility	9/30/21	1/21/22	U.S. Department of Energy Announces $8 Million for Technologies to Increase Hydropower Flexibility
N/A	Prize	EERE Inclusive Energy Innovation Prize	9/30/21	2/25/22	DOE Awards $3.6 Million to Promote Equity And Diversity in Clean Energy Innovation
Hydropower	Incentive Program	EPAct 2005 Section 242 Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program	12/27/21	2/10/22	TBD
Marine Energy	Research Program	Marine and Hydrokinetic Graduate Student Research Program	10/18/21	12/10/21	Three Students Selected for Graduate Student Research Program to Advance Marine Energy R&D
Hydropower	Request For Information (RFI)	Testing Capabilities and Facilities to Validate Hydropower Technology Innovations	8/24/21	12/7/21	N/A

FY 2021

Technology Area	Type of Funding	Opportunity Announcement	Open Date	Close Date	Selection Announcement
Marine Energy	Prize	Ocean Observing Prize	N/A	N/A	DOE and NOAA Announce 11 Winners of the Powering the Blue Economy Ocean Observing Prize
Marine Energy	Prize	Waves to Water Prize	N/A	N/A	U.S. Department of Energy Announces Finalists Advancing to Final Stage of "Waves to Water" Desalination Prize
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0002415: Advancing Wave Energy Technologies through Open Water Testing at PacWave	7/7/21	Concept Paper Submissions: 8/13/21 Full Application: 10/5/21	Water Power Technologies Office Awards $25M for Open-Water R&D at PacWave
Hydropower	RFI	Energy Policy Act of 2005 Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program	7/8/21	9/7/21	N/A
Hydropower Marine Energy	RFI	Inclusive Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Climate Technology	6/8/21	8/6/21	N/A
Marine Energy	Request For Proposals (RFP)	Advancing Research for the Co-Existence of Fishing, Coastal Communities and Regional Ocean Renewable Energies	3/29/21	7/16/21	TBD
Marine Energy	Prize	Marine Energy Collegiate Competition	N/A	N/A	DOE Announces the 2022 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition Contenders
Hydropower	Prize	I AM Hydro Prize	N/A	N/A	Hydropower Manufacturing Prize Winners Conceive Strategies To Lower Costs and Improve Performance of Hydropower Components
Hydropower	Prize	Groundbreaking Hydro Prize	N/A	N/A	U.S. Department of Energy Announces Groundbreaking Hydro Prize Winners
Hydropower; Marine Energy	TCF	2021 Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF)	N/A	N/A	Three Projects Funded in Latest Round of the Technology Commercialization Fund
Hydropower	Notice of Opportunity for Technical Assistance (NOTA)	Improving Hydropower’s Value Through Informed Decision-Making	2/17/21	4/16/21	EERE Announces Selectees for Technical Assistance and Upcoming Funding Opportunity on Hydropower Operational Flexibility
Marine Energy	Lab Call	Marine Energy Infrastructure Lab Call	12/2020	3/2021	N/A
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0002360: SBIR/STTR Phase I Release 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement	12/14/20	1/4/21	Seven Innovative Water Power Technologies Selected for Research and Development Funding
Marine Energy	Grant	Operation and Maintenance of the Ocean Energy Safety Institute (OESI 2.0)	10/28/20	12/28/20	N/A

FY 2020

Technology Area	Type of Funding	Opportunity Announcement	Open Date	Close Date	Selection Announcement
Marine Energy	Prize	Marine Energy Collegiate Competition	N/A	N/A	Energy Department Announces 2020 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition Winning Teams
Hydropower	Prize	Fish Protection Prize	N/A	N/A	DOE Selects Grand Prize Winners of the Fish Protection Prize and Announces Deadlines for Two Additional Hydropower Prizes
Marine Energy; Hydropower	TCF	2020 Technology Commercialization Fund	N/A	N/A	Four New Projects Selected in Latest Round of the Technology Commercialization Fund
Hydropower	SEC 242	Energy Policy Act of 2005 Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program	5/12/2020	7/13/2020	New Round of Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program Funding Now Available
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0002234: Marine Energy Foundational Research and Testing Infrastructure	3/31/2020	5/11/2020	Energy Department Invests $22M in Marine Energy Foundational R&D and Testing Infrastructure
Hydropower	RFI	WPTO Hydropower Lab Seedling Program Request for Innovation	3/20/2020	5/1/2020	N/A

FY 2019

Technology Area	Type of Funding	Opportunity Announcement	Open Date	Close Date	Selection Announcement
Marine Energy	Prize	Marine Energy Collegiate Competition	8/15/2019	11/1/2019	Energy Department Announces 2020 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition Winning Teams
Marine Energy	RFI	Marine Energy Laboratory Seedling Program Request for Innovation	8/21/2019	9/27/2019	N/A
Hydropower; Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0002080: Water Power Technologies Office 2019 Research Funding Opportunity Announcement	4/1/2019	7/9/2019	DOE Announces $24.9 Million Funding Selections to Advance Hydropower and Water Technologies
Marine Energy; Hydropower	TCF	2019 Technology Commercialization Fund	N/A	N/A	Four Project Recipients in Latest Round of the Technology Commercialization Fund
Hydropower	SEC 242	Energy Policy Act of 2005 Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program	5/21/2019	6/20/2019	New Round of Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program Funding Now Available
Hydropower; Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0002012: Network Director for the U.S. Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research (TEAMER) Program	3/22/2019	6/7/2019	Energy Department Announces Network Director for Marine Energy Research and Testing Program
Hydropower; Marine Energy	SBIR/ STTR	Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs	8/17/2018	2/25/2019	Energy Department’s Small Business Innovation Research Program Announces Seven New Water Power-Focused Projects for FY19
Hydropower	Prize	Furthering Advancements to Shorten Time Commissioning for Pumped Storage Hydropower Prize	4/1/2019	6/7/2019	Energy Department Announces the Grand Prize Winners of the FAST Prize Competition
Hydropower	Prize	Improving Fish Exclusion from Water Diversions and Intakes Prize	3/6/2019	5/6/2019	N/A

FY 2018

Technology Area	Type of Funding	Opportunity Announcement	Open Date	Close Date	Selection Announcement
Hydropower	FOA	DE-FOA-0001836: Innovative Design Concepts for Standard Modular Hydropower and Pumped Storage Hydropower	8/8/2018	11/30/2018	Funding Selections Announced for Innovative Design Concepts for Standard Modular Hydropower and Pumped Storage Hydropower
Marine Energy; Hydropower	TCF	2018 Technology Commercialization Fund	N/A	N/A	Water Power Projects Among Technology Commercialization Fund Selections
Hydropower	SEC 242	Energy Policy Act of 2005 Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program	6/20/2018	7/20/2018	EPACT 2005 SECTION 242 HYDRO INCENTIVE PROGRAM CALENDAR YEAR 2017 INCENTIVE RECIPIENTS
Hydropower	NOTA	Techno-Economic Studies of Pumped Storage Hydropower	4/25/2018	7/12/2018	Pumped Storage Projects Selected for Techno-Economic Studies
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0001837: Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology Advancement and Data Dissemination	4/30/2018	5/21/2018	U.S. Department of Energy Awards $25 Million for Next-Generation Marine Energy Research Projects
Hydropower	SBIR/ STTR	Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs	10/16/2017	2/26/2018	WPTO Selects Four Projects for Phase I SBIR and STTR Funding

FY 2017

Technology Area	Type of Funding	Opportunity Announcement	Open Date	Close Date	Selection Announcement
Hydropower	FOA	DE-FOA-0001662: Innovative Solutions for Fish Passage at Hydropower Dams	9/21/2017	12/7/2017	Energy Department Selects Four Projects for Fish Passage Funding
Marine Energy; Hydropower	TCF	2017 Technology Commercialization Fund	N/A	N/A	Secretary of Energy Rick Perry Announces Nearly $20 Million To Help Commercialize Promising Energy Technologies
Hydropower	GMLC	Grid Modernization Laboratory Consortium (GMLC) Funding	N/A	N/A	Energy Department Invests Up to $50 Million to Improve the Resilience and Security of the Nation’s Critical Energy Infrastructure
Hydropower	SEC 242	Energy Policy Act of 2005 Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program	8/7/2017	9/6/2017	$6.6 Million Available in New Round of Funding for Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0001663: Marine and Hydrokinetic Technology Development and Advancement	12/15/2016	3/1/2017	Energy Department Announces up to $12 Million for Projects to Advance Wave Energy
Hydropower; Marine Energy	SBIR/ STTR	Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs	8/15/2016	2/7/2017	Water Power Projects Selected for Research and Development Grant

FY 2016

Technology Area	Type of Funding	Opportunity Announcement	Open Date	Close Date	Selection Announcement
Hydropower	FOA	DE-FOA-0001455: HydroNEXT FOA: Innovative Technologies to Advance Non‐Powered Dam and Pumped‐Storage Hydropower Development	7/26/2016	10/7/2016	Energy Department Awards up to $9.8 Million for Next-Generation Hydropower Technologies
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0001419: Wave Energy Test Facility	8/16/2016	9/20/2016	Energy Department Announces Investment in Wave Energy Test Facility
Marine Energy; Hydropower	TCF	2016 Technology Commercialization Fund	N/A	N/A	DOE Announces $16 Million for 54 Projects to Help Commercialize Promising Energy Technologies: Technology Commercialization Fund Will Support 12 National Labs and 52 Private Sector Partners
Hydropower	SEC 242	2016 Guidance and Application for Hydroelectric Incentive Payments	4/25/2016	5/31/2016	EPACT 2005 SECTION 242 HYDRO INCENTIVE PROGRAM CY15 INCENTIVE RECIPIENTS
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0001418: Marine and Hydrokinetic Energy Conversion and Environmental Monitoring Technology Advancement	3/1/2016	5/26/2016	Energy Department Awards More Than $20 Million for Wave and Tidal Energy Projects
Hydropower	SEC 242	Guidance and Application for Hydroelectric Incentive Payments through the Energy Policy Act of 2005 Section 242 Program	12/16/2015	2/1/2016	EPACT 2005 SECTION 242 HYDRO INCENTIVE PROGRAM CY15 INCENTIVE RECIPIENTS
Hydropower; Marine Energy	SBIR/ STTR	Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs	N/A	N/A	FY2016 SBIR\EERE Phase II Award Selections

FY 2015

Technology Area	Type of Funding	Opportunity Announcement	Open Date	Closed Date	Selection Announcement
Hydropower	SBIR	Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs	11/30/2015	12/21/2015	N/A
Hydropower	SEC 242	Energy Policy Act of 2005 Hydroelectric Production Incentive Program	N/A	N/A	EPACT 2005 SECTION 242 HYDRO INCENTIVE PROGRAM CY14 INCENTIVE RECIPIENTS
		Small Business Vouchers Pilot	9/23/2015	10/23/2015	Small Business Vouchers
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0001310: Next Generation Marine Energy Systems	4/27/2015	7/1/2015	Energy Department Awards $10.5 Million for Next-Generation Marine Energy Systems
Hydropower	FOA	DE-FOA-0001286: Research and Development of Innovative Technologies for Low-Impact Hydropower Development	4/9/2015	6/15/2015	Energy Department Awards $6.5 Million to Advance Low Environmental Impact Hydropower Technologies
Marine Energy; Hydropower	FOA	DE-FOA-0001285: U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center: Energy and Water	3/4/2015	5/4/2015	U.S./China Clean Energy Research Center for Water-Energy Technologies
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0001182: Marine and Hydrokinetic Systems Performance Advancement II (SPA II): Component Metric Validation	1/9/2015	3/26/2015	Energy Department Awards $7.4 Million to Develop Advanced Components for Wave and Tidal Energy Systems

FY 2014

Technology Area	Type of Funding	Opportunity Announcement	Open Date	Closed Date	Selection Announcement
Hydropower	FOA	DE-FOA-0001006: Water Power Manufacturing	4/10/2014	7/31/2014	Energy Department Announces $4.4 Million to Advance Hydropower Manufacturing
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0001081: Marine and Hydrokinetic Demonstrations at the Navy's Wave Energy Test Site (WETS)	4/25/2014	6/11/2014	Energy Department Announces $10 Million for Full-Scale Wave Energy Device Testing

FY 2013

Technology Area	Type of Funding	Opportunity Announcement	Open Date	Closed Date	Selection Announcement
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0000848: Marine and Hydrokinetic System Performance Advancement	4/22/2013	6/3/2013	FOA: Marine and Hydrokinetic System Performance Advancement
Marine Energy	FOA	DE-FOA-0000816: Marine and Hydrokinetic Environmental Effects Assessment and Monitoring	3/19/2013	5/16/2013	FOA: Marine and Hydrokinetic (MHK) Environmental Effects Assessment and Monitoring