The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Electricity (OE) has issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to announce a forthcoming Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the Aligning Manufacturability & Pre-production Design (AMPD) for Storage Technologies initiative. This FOA will invite applications for financial assistance awards aimed at improving energy storage technologies by addressing pre-production design challenges that affect manufacturability, scalability, and production costs. While this NOI serves only as an advance notice, it highlights the DOE's objective to enable a resilient, affordable, and secure energy grid by facilitating advancements in energy storage technology production for stationary, non-mobility applications.

The primary goal of the planned FOA is to support research and development (R&D) that enhances the manufacturability of energy storage technologies. The FOA will target design innovations that improve manufacturability through specific adjustments to materials, subcomponents, components, or systems within these technologies. Projects funded through this opportunity are expected to raise the Manufacturing Readiness Level (MRL) and Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of storage technologies, making them more viable for scale-up and commercialization. The DOE’s Energy Storage Grand Challenge and the Long Duration Storage Shot initiatives support these objectives by seeking to reduce storage costs and expand sustainable energy solutions within the United States.

Projects funded by this FOA must propose clear, innovative R&D solutions to overcome identified manufacturability challenges. Design innovations could include modifications to aspects like the size, shape, or composition of storage technology components. Proposed projects should demonstrate a pathway for advancing from at least MRL 4 and TRL 4 (laboratory capabilities) to MRL 5 and TRL 5 (prototype-ready stages), ultimately helping reduce production costs and improve the supply chain. Notably, projects focused on operational improvements without manufacturability enhancements, mobility applications, and certain excluded areas, such as flow battery manufacturing, will be deemed non-responsive.

Approximately $8 million in federal funds will be made available, contingent on annual appropriations, with an anticipated three-year project duration and a single budget period. Up to four awards may be granted through cooperative agreements, which will involve active participation from the DOE. Selected projects will require a minimum 20% cost-share contribution from recipients. Applicants are encouraged to form partnerships between technology developers and research institutions to leverage complementary expertise, with a lead U.S.-based organization coordinating the project.

Applicants interested in responding to the anticipated FOA should prepare by registering on Grants.gov and FedConnect, as applications will only be accepted through these platforms. Registration requirements include obtaining a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and completing the System for Award Management (SAM) registration. These registrations can take several weeks, so applicants are advised to initiate them well in advance to avoid delays in application submission.

The official FOA release is anticipated in Fall 2024. This NOI does not solicit formal applications or concept papers, and DOE will not respond to inquiries until the FOA is issued.