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Distributed Energy Systems Demonstrations Funding Opportunity Announcement

Agency: Headquarters

Assistance Listings
  • 81.255 -- Clean Energy Demonstrations

Archived opportunityLast Updated: May 13, 2026

View version history on Grants.gov

Description

ATTENTION (11/9/2023): This Funding Opportunity has been modified. Please see the full FOA Modification 0001 document on OCED Exchange for full details (https://oced-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaId44ebd317-32eb-436b-b6c1-46c3057dc0fb).


NOTE: All Concept Papers and Full Applications must be submitted via the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations Funding Opportunity Exchange by the posted deadlines (https://oced-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaId44ebd317-32eb-436b-b6c1-46c3057dc0fb).


The Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) is issuing this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) to support a portfolio of projects that demonstrate and validate reliable operations and financial value from a range of grid topologies with diverse energy resources and distributed energy systems (DES) ownership models.


In this FOA, OCED is seeking projects that can demonstrate that aggregated and coordinated distributed energy resources (DERs) can provide reliable, predictable grid services for a wide range of system configurations. The program goal is to build confidence that the design, control, and compensation approaches developed can be readily applied to other portions of the distribution grid and extended to other mixes of DERs, potentially extending the value of this approach to a more diverse set of communities, individuals, and entities as the distribution system continues to change.


This FOA makes available approximately $50 million in federal funds for transformative, at-scale projects within distribution systems that demonstrate approaches to integrate grid-edge renewable and distributed energy systems with broader energy networks. These projects will seek to demonstrate reliable operations and system-wide value in the context of distribution grids with high levels of variable renewable generation and flexible load assets.


This investment will allow the U.S. to develop more reliable, resilient, and cost-effective distribution grids and distributed energy systems while supporting climate action and providing benefits to communities and workers. It will also support the Biden Administration’s decarbonization goals of a 50-52% reduction in GHG emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, a carbon-pollution-free power sector by 2035, and a net-zero GHG emissions economy by 2050.


This FOA has one Topic Area, which solicits proposals to demonstrate Distributed Energy Systems. The award size will be at least $10 million and no more than $25 million in federal funds. Each award is required to provide a minimum of 50% non-federal cost share. DOE will fund up to four (4) projects in this Topic Area. Projects are anticipated to have a maximum period of performance of 8 years.


ATTENTION (11/9/2023): This Funding Opportunity has been modified. Please see the full FOA Modification 0001 document on OCED Exchange for full details (https://oced-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaId44ebd317-32eb-436b-b6c1-46c3057dc0fb).


NOTE: All Concept Papers and Full Applications must be submitted via the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations Funding Opportunity Exchange by the posted deadlines (https://oced-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaId44ebd317-32eb-436b-b6c1-46c3057dc0fb).

Eligibility

Eligible applicants

Miscellaneous

  • Other

Additional information

Eligible applicants are limited to utilities, including Municipal, Cooperative, and Investor-Owned Utilities, as well as for-profit entities currently engaged in grid service provision via an established portfolio of aggregated distributed energy resources (DERs).

Grantor contact information

Description

If you have difficulty accessing the full announcement electronically, please contact: OCED-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov

Email

OCED.DES.FOA@hq.doe.gov

OCED.DES.FOA@hq.doe.gov

Documents

No documents are currently available.

Link to additional information

OCED Funding Opportunity Exchange

Archived: May 15, 2024

Application process

This site is a work in progress. Go to www.grants.gov to apply, track application status, and subscribe to updates.

Award

$50,000,000

Program Funding

4

Expected awards

$10,000,000

Award Minimum

$25,000,000

Award Maximum

Funding opportunity number:

DE-FOA-0003139

Cost sharing or matching requirement:

Yes

Funding instrument type:

Cooperative agreement

Opportunity Category:

Discretionary

Opportunity Category Explanation:

--

Category of Funding Activity:

Energy

Category Explanation:

--

History

Version:

6

Posted date:

October 11, 2023

Archive date:

May 15, 2024

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