Photovoltaics Research and Development (PVRD) FOA 2024 | DE FOA 0003337

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003337

The Photovoltaics Research and Development (PVRD) FOA 2024 (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0003337) is a U.S. Department of Energy opportunity administered through the Golden Field Office under the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO). It supports applied research and development in solar photovoltaics with the broader goal of accelerating clean energy deployment as part of the federal response to the climate crisis. The focus is on innovations that can lower the real-world cost of PV electricity, reduce the emissions and energy use associated with making PV hardware, and expand PV into newer, more specialized markets where integration constraints and product requirements differ from traditional utility-scale panels.

At its core, this FOA funds cell- and minimodule-level R&D aimed at three outcomes. First, it seeks durable, high-efficiency cell and module technology that can drive cost reductions on a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) basis, meaning it cares not just about headline efficiency but also about reliability, degradation, and performance over time. Second, it targets pathways to cut the carbon intensity and energy intensity of manufacturing processes used to fabricate PV cells and modules, reflecting the growing importance of the supply-chain footprint and embodied emissions of solar products. Third, it aims to improve the technical viability of PV products designed for emerging dual-use and integrated PV markets, including building-integrated PV (BIPV) and vehicle-integrated PV, where form factor, weight, appearance, durability requirements, and operating conditions can be very different than conventional rack-mounted modules.

The FOA is organized into two topic areas. Topic Area 1, called Photovoltaic Advances in Cell Efficiency, Reliability, and Supply Chain (PACERS), concentrates on PV supply chain, cell, and module technology advances. Within PACERS, DOE highlights particular interest in four technical spaces: low-carbon synthesis of metallurgical-grade silicon (MGS, defined here as 98% pure per the 5/5/3 standard), crystalline silicon (c-Si) photovoltaics, III-V photovoltaics, and organic photovoltaics (OPV). While those areas are singled out, the FOA also indicates it will consider other industrial process, cell, or minimodule-level research that supports the program goals, as long as it is not in areas explicitly listed as not of interest. Notably, perovskite PV is excluded because it is addressed through other funding programs, and cadmium telluride (CdTe) cell/module R&D is handled under Topic Area 2 rather than PACERS.

Topic Area 2 is titled Building Academic Capabilities in Cadmium Telluride Applications and is geared toward strengthening the research infrastructure around CdTe photovoltaics, especially in academic settings. The emphasis is on advanced R&D projects that require procurement or upgrades of CdTe-related equipment, with proposals expected to explain how the investment will expand fabrication, characterization, or analytical capabilities. A key expectation is that these improvements should not only serve the applicant institution but also provide benefit to the broader CdTe PV research community, suggesting a shared-use, enabling-capability, or community resource mindset rather than narrowly focused, one-off equipment purchases.

Awards under this FOA are expected to be made as cooperative agreements, which typically means substantial federal involvement in project execution compared with a standard grant. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding in the energy domain (CFDA 81.087). The award ceiling is listed at $4,000,000, with an estimated 15 awards anticipated, indicating a moderately competitive program with room for multiple technical directions. Eligible applicants are broad and include state, county, and local governments; federally recognized tribal governments; public and private institutions of higher education; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (as described in the notice); for-profit organizations (including those other than small businesses); and small businesses. The original application closing date is September 16, 2024, and the FOA was created on May 1, 2024. For full requirements, submission instructions, and the detailed list of areas of interest and non-interest, applicants are directed to the full FOA posted in EERE Exchange.

• The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Photovoltaics Research and Development (PVRD) FOA 2024" 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 2024-05-01.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-09-16. (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 $4,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.

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