Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003167
The U.S. Department of Energy, through its Golden Field Office, issued a Request for Information (RFI) titled "Request for Information in the Area of Grid Integration of Solar Energy Systems and Other Inverter-based Resources" (Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0003167). This is not a traditional funding solicitation that makes awards; instead, it is a market and stakeholder feedback request meant to gather input that can help DOE shape future programs, research priorities, technical targets, and potential funding opportunities related to integrating solar and other inverter-based resources into the electric grid. The full RFI content and submission instructions are hosted on EERE Exchange, which is DOE's platform for many Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy communications and solicitations.
The core topic is grid integration, meaning the technical, operational, and planning work required to reliably operate power systems with a growing share of resources connected through power electronics, especially solar photovoltaics but also other inverter-based technologies (for example, battery energy storage systems, certain wind turbine configurations, and other distributed energy resources that interface via inverters). Inverter-based resources behave differently than conventional synchronous generators, so DOE is seeking information that can address practical grid needs such as maintaining reliability and stability, improving interoperability and controls, meeting grid code requirements, enhancing system visibility and monitoring, and ensuring that these resources can support grid services rather than merely injecting energy. The RFI framing indicates an interest in both the equipment level (inverters, controls, protection) and the system level (distribution and transmission operations, planning, standards, modeling, and coordination).
Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary and uses an "Other" funding instrument type, which is consistent with an RFI because DOE is collecting responses rather than awarding grants or cooperative agreements. The Funding Activity Category is Energy and the CFDA number listed is 81.087, which is commonly associated with DOE energy-related assistance listings. Eligible applicants are listed as unrestricted, reflecting that responses can generally come from a broad range of stakeholders, such as utilities, grid operators, manufacturers, national laboratories, universities, developers, industry groups, state and local entities, standards organizations, and individual subject-matter experts. The listing shows an award ceiling of 1 and expected awards of 0, reinforcing that this is an information-gathering action rather than a competition for funding.
Timing is a key detail: the RFI originally listed a close date of November 30, 2023, but DOE updated the deadline to 5:00 pm Eastern Time on December 15, 2023. The creation date shown is November 30, 2023, which aligns with the updated timing information in the notice. Anyone intending to respond would need to follow the specific instructions provided in EERE Exchange, including any required formatting, topic areas, and method of submission, because RFIs often ask targeted questions and may require responses to be organized under specific headings to make analysis easier for DOE staff.
In practical terms, responding to this RFI would typically involve sharing lessons learned, data, use cases, and recommendations on barriers and solutions for high-penetration inverter-based resources. That can include technical needs such as advanced inverter functions (grid-forming or grid-support features), ride-through performance, voltage and frequency support, harmonics and power quality mitigation, protection and coordination on distribution networks, models for electromagnetic transient and dynamic studies, and approaches for validating models against field behavior. It can also include non-hardware dimensions like interconnection processes, permitting and standards alignment, communications and cybersecurity considerations for inverter control and telemetry, and operational practices for utilities and system operators. DOE RFIs are often used to identify where federal R&D or demonstration projects could have the most impact, so responses that clearly describe the problem, quantify the scale or risk, and propose actionable research or deployment pathways tend to be the most useful for informing future DOE activities.
In short, DE-FOA-0003167 is a DOE EERE RFI focused on gathering broad stakeholder input to improve the integration of solar energy systems and other inverter-based resources into the U.S. electric grid, with submissions due by 5:00 pm ET on December 15, 2023, and details available through EERE Exchange.Apply for DE FOA 0003167
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request for Information in the Area of Grid Integration of Solar Energy Systems and Other Inverter-based Resources" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2023-11-30.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2023-12-15. (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 $1.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is DE-FOA-0003167?
DE-FOA-0003167 is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Request for Information (RFI) titled "Request for Information in the Area of Grid Integration of Solar Energy Systems and Other Inverter-based Resources." It is issued through DOE's Golden Field Office.
Is this a grant or a funding opportunity that will make awards?
No. This notice is an RFI, not a traditional funding solicitation. It is intended to collect market and stakeholder feedback and does not make grant awards, cooperative agreements, or other financial awards under this posting.
Why is DOE issuing this RFI?
DOE is gathering input to help shape future programs, research priorities, technical targets, and potential future funding opportunities related to integrating solar energy systems and other inverter-based resources into the electric grid.
What is the main technical focus of the RFI?
The core topic is grid integration: the technical, operational, and planning work needed to reliably operate power systems with a growing share of inverter-based resources, especially solar photovoltaics, but also other technologies that connect through power electronics.
What are "inverter-based resources" in the context of this RFI?
Inverter-based resources are electricity resources that interface with the grid through power electronics (inverters), rather than conventional synchronous generators. The RFI highlights solar PV and also points to other inverter-based technologies such as battery energy storage systems, certain wind turbine configurations, and other distributed energy resources that use inverters.
Why does integrating inverter-based resources require special attention?
Inverter-based resources behave differently than conventional synchronous generators. DOE is seeking information to address practical grid needs around reliability, stability, interoperability, controls, and ensuring these resources can provide grid services rather than only injecting energy.
What kinds of grid needs is DOE looking to address through this RFI?
DOE is seeking input on needs such as maintaining reliability and stability, improving interoperability and controls, meeting grid code requirements, enhancing system visibility and monitoring, and enabling inverter-based resources to support grid services.
Does the RFI cover equipment-level topics, system-level topics, or both?
Both. The RFI indicates interest at the equipment level (inverters, controls, protection) and at the system level (distribution and transmission operations, planning, standards, modeling, and coordination).
What types of technical content might be helpful to include in an RFI response?
The notice suggests that responses may include lessons learned, data, use cases, and recommendations on barriers and solutions for high-penetration inverter-based resources. Examples mentioned include advanced inverter functions (such as grid-forming or grid-support features), ride-through performance, voltage and frequency support, harmonics and power quality mitigation, distribution protection and coordination, electromagnetic transient and dynamic modeling needs, and approaches for validating models against field behavior.
Are non-hardware topics within scope?
Yes. The description includes non-hardware dimensions such as interconnection processes, permitting and standards alignment, communications and cybersecurity considerations for inverter control and telemetry, and operational practices for utilities and system operators.
Who can submit responses to this RFI?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which generally indicates that a broad range of stakeholders may respond. The description specifically mentions stakeholders such as utilities, grid operators, manufacturers, national laboratories, universities, developers, industry groups, state and local entities, standards organizations, and individual subject-matter experts.
What is the Funding Activity Category for this opportunity?
The Funding Activity Category is Energy.
What CFDA number is associated with this listing?
The CFDA number listed is 81.087, which is commonly associated with DOE energy-related assistance listings.
What does it mean that the funding instrument type is listed as "Other"?
This listing uses an "Other" funding instrument type, which is consistent with an RFI. In this context, DOE is collecting responses and feedback rather than issuing awards through a grant or cooperative agreement.
What does "discretionary" mean in the administrative listing?
The opportunity is categorized as discretionary in the listing. Based on the notice description, the key practical takeaway is that this is an RFI used to gather input rather than a mandatory formula funding program.
Does the listing indicate that DOE expects to make any awards?
No. The listing shows expected awards of 0 and an award ceiling of 1, which reinforces that this is an information-gathering action rather than a competitive award program.
Where can applicants find the full RFI content and submission instructions?
The full RFI content and submission instructions are hosted on EERE Exchange, DOE's platform for many Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy communications and solicitations.
What is EERE Exchange?
EERE Exchange is DOE's platform used for many Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy communications and solicitations, including hosting RFI documents and submission instructions.
What is the submission deadline for responses?
The deadline was updated to 5:00 pm Eastern Time on December 15, 2023.
Was the deadline changed from an earlier date?
Yes. The RFI originally listed a close date of November 30, 2023, and DOE updated it to 5:00 pm Eastern Time on December 15, 2023.
What is the creation date shown for the notice?
The creation date shown is November 30, 2023, which aligns with the updated timing information described in the notice.
How should responses be formatted and submitted?
Respondents need to follow the specific instructions provided in EERE Exchange, including any required formatting, topic areas, and method of submission. RFIs often ask targeted questions and may require responses to be organized under specific headings to make DOE review and analysis easier.
What kinds of responses tend to be most useful for DOE RFIs like this?
Based on the description, responses that clearly describe the problem, quantify the scale or risk, and propose actionable research or deployment pathways are typically most useful for informing future DOE activities.
What is the intended outcome of this RFI for future DOE activity?
The RFI is intended to help DOE identify where federal research, development, and demonstration efforts could have the most impact and to inform future programs and potential funding opportunities related to grid integration of inverter-based resources.
Does this RFI focus only on solar photovoltaics?
No. While solar photovoltaics are a primary focus, the RFI also addresses other inverter-based resources that connect through power electronics.
Does the RFI address both distribution and transmission considerations?
Yes. The scope includes distribution and transmission operations, planning, and coordination, along with related standards and modeling considerations.
What kinds of grid services are implied when DOE says inverter-based resources should support the grid?
The notice points to needs like voltage and frequency support and ride-through performance, along with broader reliability, stability, interoperability, monitoring, and controls capabilities.
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