Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002281
The Department of Energy (DOE), through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), issued a Request for Information (RFI) titled "Biomass Co-Firing Emission Profiles and Impacts on Carbon Capture" (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0002281). This notice is not a funding award in itself, but an information-gathering step meant to shape future federal research and development efforts. The core idea behind the RFI is to collect technical input on how co-firing biomass with coal changes power-plant emission profiles and, in turn, how those changes affect carbon capture systems. DOE is looking for practical, research-driven insights that could inform a later, more formal solicitation, such as a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), under DOE's Fossil Energy Research and Development programs.
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary and sits within the Energy funding activity area (CFDA 81.089). While the RFI lists potential future funding instruments like cooperative agreements and procurement contracts, it is important to treat those as possible mechanisms DOE might use later if a full solicitation is released. The RFI itself does not commit the government to make awards. That is reinforced by the listed "Expected Awards: 0" and the lack of a meaningful award ceiling (the "Award Ceiling" field appears as a placeholder rather than a defined cap for actual awards).
DOE/NETL is seeking responses from a broad set of stakeholders. Eligibility is described as "Unrestricted," meaning any type of entity can respond, including national laboratories, universities, research organizations, private companies, and other interested parties, subject to any clarifications that might appear in the full RFI text. In practice, that kind of open eligibility is typical for RFIs because the agency wants to capture a wide range of perspectives, including experimental researchers, technology developers, power-sector operators, and carbon capture specialists.
Technically, the RFI centers on the intersection of two areas: (1) coal-biomass co-firing and the resulting emissions characteristics, and (2) how those altered flue-gas conditions influence carbon capture performance, operability, degradation, and overall system design. Co-firing can change flue-gas composition, particulate and ash characteristics, trace species profiles, and pollutant formation pathways. Those shifts can matter a lot for capture technologies (such as solvent-based post-combustion capture) because capture efficiency, solvent stability, corrosion potential, and downstream equipment fouling can all be sensitive to impurities and aerosol/particulate behavior. DOE is essentially signaling interest in understanding these interactions well enough to guide targeted R&D: what needs to be measured, what failure modes might appear, what mitigation strategies are realistic, and where knowledge gaps are preventing confident scale-up.
From an administrative standpoint, the RFI was created on February 11, 2020, with an original response deadline of March 3, 2020. Responses were required to be submitted electronically, as a PDF attachment, sent via email to Susan.Miltenberger@netl.doe.gov. That submission method is typical of RFIs, which are often managed more like structured market research and technical outreach than like a competitive grant application.
In short, this DOE/NETL RFI is a precursor step intended to gather expert input on emission profiles from biomass co-firing and the operational and chemical implications for carbon capture systems. The main value for respondents is the chance to influence the scope and priorities of a possible future DOE-funded research program, including the topics, test methods, performance metrics, and demonstration needs that might later appear in a formal funding solicitation.Apply for DE FOA 0002281
- The Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Biomass Co-Firing Emission Profiles and Impacts on Carbon Capture" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.089.
- This funding opportunity was created on Feb 11, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 03, 2020 Responses to this RFI must be submitted electronically as a PDF attachment to Susan.Miltenberger@netl.doe.gov. (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 $2.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0002281?
DE-FOA-0002281 refers to a Department of Energy (DOE) Request for Information (RFI) issued through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) titled "Biomass Co-Firing Emission Profiles and Impacts on Carbon Capture."
Is this RFI a grant or a funding opportunity that will make awards?
No. This notice is an information-gathering RFI, not a funding award. It is intended to collect technical input to help DOE shape potential future research and development efforts. The listing indicates "Expected Awards: 0" and does not commit the government to issue awards.
What is the purpose of this RFI?
The purpose is to gather practical, research-driven input on how co-firing biomass with coal changes power-plant emission profiles and how those emission changes affect carbon capture systems. DOE intends to use the feedback to inform future federal R&D priorities and the design of a later formal solicitation (such as an RFP or FOA).
Which DOE organization issued the RFI?
The RFI was issued by DOE through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
What program area is this RFI associated with?
The RFI is positioned within DOE Fossil Energy Research and Development programs and is categorized under the Energy funding activity area. It is associated with CFDA 81.089.
What does "discretionary" mean in this context?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary, meaning it falls under a category of federal actions where the agency has discretion in how it designs and potentially funds future activities. In this case, the RFI itself is not funding, but may inform discretionary future R&D solicitations.
Who is eligible to respond to this RFI?
Eligibility is described as "Unrestricted," meaning any type of entity may respond. Examples include national laboratories, universities, research organizations, private companies, and other interested stakeholders, subject to any details in the full RFI text.
Why is eligibility so broad for an RFI?
RFIs commonly use open eligibility because agencies want a wide range of perspectives and technical input. For this topic, DOE is seeking input from experimental researchers, technology developers, power-sector operators, and carbon capture specialists.
What technical topics is DOE/NETL specifically interested in?
The RFI focuses on the intersection of: (1) coal-biomass co-firing and resulting emission characteristics, and (2) how altered flue-gas conditions influence carbon capture performance, operability, degradation, and system design.
What kinds of emission changes from biomass co-firing are relevant here?
DOE highlights that co-firing can change flue-gas composition, particulate and ash characteristics, trace species profiles, and pollutant formation pathways. The RFI is intended to collect input on these changes and their practical implications.
How can co-firing emissions affect carbon capture systems?
According to the RFI description, changes in impurities, aerosols/particulates, and trace species can influence capture efficiency, solvent stability (for solvent-based post-combustion capture), corrosion potential, and downstream fouling of equipment. DOE is seeking input on these types of interactions.
Does the RFI specify which carbon capture technologies it is concerned with?
The description notes capture technologies such as solvent-based post-combustion capture as an example, and broadly frames interest in how co-firing-driven flue-gas changes affect carbon capture performance and operation.
What is DOE hoping to learn from responses?
DOE is signaling interest in collecting input that helps identify what should be measured, what failure modes may occur, what mitigation strategies are realistic, and what knowledge gaps are limiting confident scale-up for carbon capture systems under co-firing conditions.
Will responding to this RFI lead directly to funding?
No. The RFI itself does not provide funding or guarantee future funding. Its value is primarily in providing a channel to influence the scope and priorities of a possible future DOE-funded research program and any later formal solicitation.
Could DOE issue a future solicitation based on this RFI?
Yes. The RFI is described as a precursor step intended to shape future federal R&D efforts, and it references that DOE could later issue a more formal solicitation such as a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).
What funding instruments might DOE use if a future solicitation is released?
The RFI lists potential future mechanisms such as cooperative agreements and procurement contracts. These are presented as possible instruments for later use and should not be treated as awards associated with the RFI itself.
Are there any awards expected under this notice?
No. The notice indicates "Expected Awards: 0," reinforcing that this is not an award-making opportunity.
Is there an award ceiling or maximum award amount?
No meaningful award ceiling is defined for this RFI. The "Award Ceiling" field is described as appearing to be a placeholder rather than an actual cap tied to awards, consistent with the fact that the RFI itself is not making awards.
When was this RFI created and what was the response deadline?
The RFI was created on February 11, 2020, and the original response deadline was March 3, 2020.
How were responses required to be submitted?
Responses were required to be submitted electronically as a PDF attachment via email.
What email address was used for submitting RFI responses?
Responses were to be emailed to Susan.Miltenberger@netl.doe.gov with the response provided as a PDF attachment.
Why does DOE use email and PDFs for an RFI submission?
As described, this submission method is typical for RFIs, which are often managed as structured market research and technical outreach rather than as a competitive grant application process.
What is the main benefit of responding to this RFI?
The main benefit is the opportunity to influence the scope and priorities of possible future DOE-funded R&D, including potential topics, test methods, performance metrics, and demonstration needs that may appear later in a formal solicitation.
What should stakeholders focus on when preparing an RFI response?
Based on the stated purpose, stakeholders would focus on technical insights related to biomass co-firing emission profiles and the operational and chemical implications for carbon capture systems, including measurement needs, potential failure modes, mitigation strategies, and key knowledge gaps.
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