Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002092
The Electric Grid of Things funding opportunity (DE FOA 0002092) is a Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) grant program focused on improving how the electric grid interacts with devices and resources at the "grid edge," especially where Internet of Things (IoT) technologies connect to power systems. The core goal is to design and demonstrate practical scenarios, methods, and technical solutions that make it easier for grid services to flow in both directions. In other words, it is not just about utilities sending power and signals outward, but also about enabling distributed assets to send useful services back into the grid in a coordinated, reliable way. The FOA emphasizes that better connectivity, data exchange, and coordination at the edge should translate into higher resilience and reliability for the overall electric system.
A major driver behind this program is the need to maintain "energy surety" for defense installations during abnormal or disruptive events. The opportunity is framed around situations where a defense facility, the local utility, and nearby distributed energy resources (DER) such as solar, batteries, generators, controllable loads, and potentially microgrids must work together to keep critical operations running. The projects funded under this FOA are expected to produce approaches, tools, and systems that help coordinate these parties in real time, so that defense installations can continue functioning longer when the normal grid is stressed or partially unavailable. The underlying idea is that smarter edge connectivity and IoT-enabled control can unlock flexible services from DER and loads, improving the facility's ability to ride through outages or unstable conditions while also supporting the surrounding grid when possible.
The FOA calls for developments in scenarios and operational concepts as well as in enabling technologies. That includes methodologies and techniques for optimizing information exchange, communications, and control between edge devices and grid operators, along with tools or systems that can orchestrate bi-directional grid services. While the announcement text is high-level, the expected direction is toward solutions that can support coordinated actions like demand response, frequency and voltage support, load shedding prioritization, islanding and resynchronization behaviors, and DER dispatch based on grid conditions and mission needs. Because the emphasis is on resilience and reliability, solutions would typically be expected to consider interoperability, latency and bandwidth constraints, cybersecurity implications, and the ability to function under degraded communications or during emergencies, even if those specific requirements are not enumerated in the short description.
In terms of award structure and eligibility, the program is a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements, which generally means DOE anticipates substantial involvement during the project period (for example, technical collaboration, reviews, or milestone-based management). The funding activity category is Energy, and the CFDA number listed is 81.122. Eligible applicants are limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education, signaling that the program is oriented toward universities and similar public academic institutions, likely working with partners such as utilities, technology vendors, or defense stakeholders as part of a broader project team if allowed under the full FOA.
Financially, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $2,000,000 per award and an expectation of about five awards. The FOA was created on June 19, 2019, with an original closing date of September 9, 2019. Overall, this opportunity is best understood as a targeted R&D and demonstration effort to strengthen grid-edge coordination through IoT-style connectivity, with a clear use case: improving the ability of defense installations to maintain power and operational continuity by coordinating with utilities and surrounding distributed resources during abnormal grid events.Apply for DE FOA 0002092
- The Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Electric Grid of Things" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.122.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 19, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Sep 09, 2019. (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 $2,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 5 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Electric Grid of Things (DE FOA 0002092)
What is the Electric Grid of Things funding opportunity (DE FOA 0002092)?
The Electric Grid of Things funding opportunity (DE FOA 0002092) is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) program administered through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL). It is focused on improving how the electric grid interacts with devices and resources at the "grid edge," particularly where Internet of Things (IoT) technologies connect to power systems.
What is the main goal of this FOA?
The core goal is to design and demonstrate practical scenarios, methods, and technical solutions that enable bi-directional grid services at the grid edge. This means enabling not only utility-to-customer power and signals, but also coordinated, reliable services from distributed assets back into the grid.
What does "grid edge" mean in the context of this opportunity?
In this opportunity, the "grid edge" refers to the boundary area where end-use devices, distributed energy resources (DER), and local control systems interface with utility grid operations. The FOA particularly emphasizes edge connectivity enabled by IoT-style technologies and data exchange.
Why is IoT mentioned as part of grid modernization in this FOA?
IoT is highlighted because the FOA is oriented toward better connectivity, data exchange, and coordination between edge devices and grid operators. The intent is that improved communications and control at the edge can translate into higher resilience and reliability for the electric system.
What is meant by "bi-directional grid services"?
Bi-directional grid services refers to the ability for services to flow both ways: from the utility/grid operator to customers and devices (for example, control signals), and from customer-side or local resources back to the grid (for example, flexible load reductions, DER support, or other coordinated services).
How does this FOA relate to resilience and reliability?
The FOA emphasizes that better grid-edge connectivity and coordination should increase resilience and reliability. Solutions are expected to help the system perform better during abnormal or disruptive events by coordinating devices and distributed resources in real time.
What is the defense installation "energy surety" focus?
A major driver is maintaining energy surety for defense installations during abnormal or disruptive events. The FOA is framed around scenarios where a defense facility, the local utility, and nearby distributed resources coordinate to keep critical operations running when the normal grid is stressed or partially unavailable.
What types of situations is the FOA trying to address?
The FOA is oriented toward abnormal or disruptive grid conditions where coordinated actions among a defense facility, a utility, and surrounding DER/loads can extend operational continuity. The overall purpose is to help the installation function longer during outages or instability, while supporting the surrounding grid when possible.
What kinds of distributed energy resources (DER) are referenced?
The opportunity references DER such as solar, batteries, generators, controllable loads, and potentially microgrids. These are examples of assets that could be coordinated to provide support to a facility and/or the grid.
What kinds of outcomes are projects expected to produce?
Projects are expected to produce approaches, tools, and systems that coordinate relevant parties in real time. The FOA also calls for the development of scenarios and operational concepts as well as enabling technologies that support bi-directional services at the grid edge.
What kinds of technical work does the FOA emphasize?
The FOA emphasizes methodologies and techniques for optimizing information exchange, communications, and control between edge devices and grid operators, along with tools or systems that can orchestrate bi-directional grid services.
What are examples of coordinated actions that solutions might support?
While the announcement is high-level, it indicates an expected direction toward coordinated actions such as demand response, frequency and voltage support, load shedding prioritization, islanding and resynchronization behaviors, and DER dispatch based on grid conditions and mission needs.
Does the FOA require demonstration, or is it strictly research?
Based on the description, the FOA is positioned as an R&D and demonstration effort. It calls for designing and demonstrating practical scenarios and technical solutions rather than only conceptual research.
What does it mean that awards are "cooperative agreements"?
This FOA uses cooperative agreements, which generally means DOE expects substantial involvement during the project period. Examples mentioned include technical collaboration, reviews, or milestone-based management.
Who is the sponsoring agency and administering office?
The sponsoring agency is the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the program is associated with the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
What is the funding activity category?
The funding activity category listed is Energy.
What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?
The CFDA number listed for this opportunity is 81.122.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants are limited to public and state-controlled institutions of higher education. This indicates the opportunity is oriented toward universities and similar public academic institutions.
Can applicants work with partners such as utilities or technology vendors?
The description suggests the program is likely oriented toward institutions of higher education working with partners such as utilities, technology vendors, or defense stakeholders as part of a broader team, if permitted under the full FOA. The short description itself does not list detailed teaming rules.
What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling is $2,000,000 per award.
How many awards were expected?
The opportunity indicated an expectation of about five awards.
When was the FOA created and when did it close?
The FOA was created on June 19, 2019, and the original closing date was September 9, 2019.
What is the overall purpose of this program in plain terms?
Overall, the program targets grid-edge coordination using IoT-style connectivity so distributed assets and loads can reliably provide services back to the grid. A central use case is improving defense installation power continuity by coordinating with utilities and surrounding resources during abnormal grid events.
What kinds of design considerations are implied by the resilience focus?
The description indicates solutions would typically be expected to consider interoperability, latency and bandwidth constraints, cybersecurity implications, and the ability to function under degraded communications or during emergencies, even if those requirements are not fully enumerated in the short summary.
Is this opportunity oriented toward utility operations, facility operations, or both?
Both. The FOA is framed around coordinated, real-time interaction among defense installations, local utilities, and distributed resources, with the intent to improve facility ride-through while also supporting broader grid reliability when possible.
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