CFDA / Assistance Listing · Reference

CFDA 81.087: Renewable Energy Research and Development

DOE EERE's primary mechanism for renewable-energy R&D — solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, bioenergy, hydrogen, and grid-modernization research and demonstration projects.

Agency

U.S. Department of Energy — Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Typical award

R&D awards: $500K-$10M per project. Demonstration projects: $5M-$100M+. National Lab consortia: $20M-$200M.

Eligible applicants

Research universities and IHEs
501(c)(3) research institutes
DOE National Laboratories
Small businesses and startups (SBIR/STTR)
For-profit clean-energy companies (with cost-share)
State and local governments (some demonstration programs)

What this CFDA funds

Basic and applied renewable-energy research, technology development, prototype demonstrations, manufacturing scale-up, workforce training in clean-energy sectors, and grid-integration projects. Recent priorities driven by IRA/IIJA: hydrogen production, battery manufacturing, advanced solar manufacturing, offshore wind, geothermal, and equitable energy transition.

What winning applicants look like

DOE National Labs and Tier-1 research universities lead most large awards. Industry-academia consortia win the manufacturing demonstrations. Small businesses access via SBIR/STTR and the EERE Open FOA mechanisms. Climate-justice and equity-focused proposals are increasingly prioritized.

Common pitfalls + things to know

DOE FOA structures are dense — multiple Areas of Interest with distinct evaluation criteria, technical Volume page limits, pricing/cost-share narratives, IP rights provisions. Cost-share is typically required (often 20-50%) and must be from non-federal sources. Environmental review for any field demonstration is substantial.

Related CFDAs to also explore

CFDA 81.122 — Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
CFDA 81.135 — Advanced Manufacturing Office
CFDA 66.605 — EPA Performance Partnership

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Always verify in the official source. CFDA program details, eligibility, and award ranges change with each annual NOFO cycle. Confirm at sam.gov/content/assistance-listings or the agency's program office before you build an application strategy. This page is editorial reference, not an official agency notice.