Clean Hydrogen Production, Storage, Transport and Utilization to Enable a Net-Zero Carbon Economy | DE FOA 0002822

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002822

The Clean Hydrogen Production, Storage, Transport and Utilization to Enable a Net-Zero Carbon Economy opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0002822) is not an open call for proposals by itself, but a Notice of Intent (NOI) from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). The purpose of the notice is to inform the public that DOE intends to amend an existing Funding Opportunity Announcement, DE-FOA-0002400, during the third quarter of calendar year 2022. Because it is an NOI rather than the amended FOA itself, DOE explicitly states that applications will not be accepted under this notice.

The amended program focus centers on clean hydrogen across the full value chain, including production, storage, transport, and end-use (utilization), with the overarching goal of enabling a net-zero carbon economy. The notice also highlights a naming and framing shift: the prior title emphasized fossil energy-based hydrogen pathways approaching net-zero or net-negative emissions, while the updated title broadens the emphasis to "clean hydrogen" and its role in economy-wide decarbonization. This suggests DOE is positioning the program around emissions outcomes and system impacts rather than defining the opportunity primarily by a particular feedstock category.

From an administrative and funding-structure standpoint, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding and would use a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument type. Cooperative agreements typically indicate substantial federal involvement during the performance of the project, such as collaboration on milestones, technical direction, or project management oversight, which is common for complex energy technology development and demonstration efforts. The funding activity category is Energy, and the associated CFDA number listed is 81.089. The issuing agency is DOE/NETL, acting on behalf of DOE's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), which aligns with hydrogen pathways that intersect with carbon management and deep decarbonization objectives.

Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, meaning it is broadly open to any type of entity, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications that would be provided in the full FOA text. In practical terms, this kind of eligibility language usually leaves room for participation by private companies, universities, national laboratories, state and local governments, and nonprofits, including potential multi-partner consortia, though the specific rules would be governed by the amended FOA when released.

The posting includes an original closing date of August 31, 2022, but that date should be interpreted carefully because the notice states that applications will not be accepted for the NOI. In other words, the NOI functions more like a heads-up to prospective applicants to monitor for the amended FOA, anticipate revised requirements, and prepare conceptually for the forthcoming solicitation details. The entry also lists an award ceiling value of 2 and expected awards of 0; taken together with the NOI language, those fields should not be read as final funding commitments or a reflection of the ultimate number of awards, but rather as placeholders or artifacts of the notice record rather than the amended competitive funding announcement.

In short, this posting signals DOE NETL's intent to update and reissue guidance for a hydrogen-related funding program under DE-FOA-0002400, with a clearer emphasis on clean hydrogen solutions spanning production through utilization in support of net-zero goals. Anyone interested would need to wait for the actual amended FOA to understand the final technical areas of interest, funding levels, cost share requirements, deliverables, performance periods, and submission instructions.

• The Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Clean Hydrogen Production, Storage, Transport and Utilization to Enable a Net-Zero Carbon Economy" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.089.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 28, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Aug 31, 2022 This is a Notice of Intent to issue an amendment to Funding Opportunity Announcement DE-FOA-0002400. Applications will not be accepted for the Notice of Intent.. (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 $2.00 in funding.
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for DE FOA 0002822

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