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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) opened new funding to small businesses for innovative clean energy technologies as part of its Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs. SBIR and STTR are competitive funding opportunities that encourage U.S.-based small businesses to engage in research and development to accelerate the commercialization of innovative technologies.
Through SBIR and STTR, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has enabled thousands of small businesses and entrepreneurs to develop cutting-edge technologies required to accelerate our transition to a clean energy future.
SBIR/STTR provides funding in two phases: Small businesses can receive up to $200,000 in Phase I to prove the feasibility of an idea; successful awardees can then receive up to $1.1 million in Phase II for further development including prototyping, validation, and testing.
Mandatory letters of intent for this funding opportunity are due Tuesday, January 14th, 2025 by 5 p.m. ET.
Eight topics in the NOFO are funded by the Vehicle Technologies Office:
Innovative Electric Vehicle Battery Cells and Components: This topic seeks novel electrochemical energy storage technologies that support commercialization of electric vehicles focused on improving the state of the art for battery cells for adoption in future EVs. Energy density, cost, and safety are the key metrics to be addressed at the materials or cell level.
Improving EV Battery Recycling Efficiency (BIL-Funded): This topic seeks innovative technologies or processes that increase the efficiency or economic viability of recycling end-of-life electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Proposed hydrometallurgical, direct recycling, and upcycling approaches should focus on feedstocks from end-of-life lithium-ion EV batteries (NMC, NCA, or LFP cathode chemistries).
Improving Consumer Electronic Battery Recycling Efficiency (BIL-Funded): This topic seeks innovative technologies or processes that increase the efficiency or economic viability of recycling end-of-life consumer electronics batteries. Proposed processes should focus on feedstocks from end-of-life lithium-ion secondary battery feedstocks from consumer electronics or e-waste (devices <300 Wh and <11 pounds) and LCO and LFP cathode chemistries.
Modular Heavy-Duty Vehicle Batteries: This topic considers designs for battery swapping (Class 8 trucks and Class 7/8 buses) and batteries in trailers (Class 8 trucks only) as two alternatives to large battery packs. The goal is to accelerate electrification of the heavy-duty vehicle sector while working with the energy density limitations of currently available Li-ion batteries and charging infrastructure.
Material Innovations for Thermal Runaway Mitigation in High-Energy Battery Enclosures: This topic seeks to reduce the likelihood of the cascading EV fires through advanced materials and manufacturing technologies at the EV module- or pack-level, for example: advanced coolants, thermal interface materials, innovative cell packaging design approaches, and intelligent thermal management systems as well as to develop vehicle or structural materials strategies.
EV Battery Firefighting Technologies: This topic seeks innovative solutions to more rapidly extinguish Li-ion battery fires in EVs to reduce water usage, extinguish fires substantially faster than conventional firefighting techniques based on water, and reduce risk to first responders, including by reducing their proximity to the vehicle and/or exposure to toxic vapors resulting from a battery fire.
Electrified Hydraulic Components for Off-road Equipment Increasing Efficiency Through Systemwide Innovation: This topic addresses the need to optimize electrified hydraulic systems for off-road equipment via system design of technologies to replace and/or augment existing shaft-driven, throttled hydraulic pumps and valves. The goal is at least a 50% reduction in energy usage through electrification while maintaining similar durability to conventional systems.
Energy Efficient Mobility Systems (EEMS): Increasing Efficiency Through Systemwide Innovation: The EEMS program welcomes applications that focus on developing innovative solutions that improve transportation efficiency (people and/or goods) through methods such as greater coordination, communication, control, reliability, increased utilization of efficient resources, analytics, and other systemwide applications.
Register for informational webinars that will be held on Friday, Jan. 3 at 2 p.m. ET. A webinar was also held Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET. Slides will be posted after each webinar.
Please review the funding opportunity for the full topic descriptions.
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