Everything Solar Forum

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) announced the Concentrating Solar Flux to Heat and Power funding opportunity, which will award $30 million for innovative research, development, and demonstration projects that accelerate the large-scale development and deployment of concentrating solar-thermal power (CSP) technology. CSP technologies offer unique value as a renewable energy resource that can readily deliver high-temperature heat for uses in the industrial sector and incorporate energy storage for on-demand solar power. 

SETO is interested in projects in three topic areas:  

• Topic Area 1: Scalable Concentrating Solar Collectors 
• Topic Area 2: Scalable Supercritical Carbon Dioxide (sCO₂) Turbomachinery 
• Topic Area 3: Scalable Concentrating Solar-Thermal Receivers and Reactors 

The goals of this funding opportunity announcement (FOA) are aligned with DOE's target of achieving a levelized cost of heat of $0.02 per kilowatt-hour and levelized cost of electricity of $0.05 per kilowatt-hour by 2030. The FOA also supports the goals of DOE's Industrial Heat Shot, Hydrogen Shot, and Clean Fuels & Products Shot.  

SETO anticipates making approximately six to 16 awards under this FOA ranging from $750,000 to $10 million. SETO encourages diverse teams from universities, nonprofit and for-profit companies, state and local governments, and Tribal Nations to apply.  

Prior to submitting a full application, applicants must submit a concept paper by May 16 at 5 p.m. ET. 

Learn more about this funding opportunity and other open funding opportunities within DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.