The US Department of Energy (DOE) has released an informational webinar to explain in more detail the recently announced funding opportunity to support the marine energy technologies.
A recorded webinar offers more information on the application process and estimated award dates for the call whose overarching goal is to reduce capital costs and shorten deployment timelines for marine energy devices.
Funded research is expected to further the development of technologies and result in cost reduction by advancing early-stage research and evaluation of next-generation wave and tidal or current systems; supporting early-stage design of power take-off and control systems; and developing tools and methodologies that capture recent advances in the scientific understanding of environmental impacts of marine renewable energy.
According to the documents released with the webinar, the early stage device design research topic area of the FOA will support a maximum of up to 10 projects, for which the federal funding per award is estimated to range between $500,000 and $3.5 million.
The second topic – controls and power take-off design integration and testing – will provide funding support spanning from $750,000 to $2 million for up to six projects.
Dissemination of environmental data and analyses to facilitate the marine energy regulatory processes projects will be able to apply for funding in the amount of $800,000 up to $1.6 million.
The US DOE said it plans to award two projects total under this topic area.
All projects that receive funding support are expected to last for 3 years, the FOA documents state.
Submission deadline for concept papers has been set for May 31, while full applications must be submitted by July 17, 2018.