Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002221
The FLEXIBLE CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE (FLECCS) SBIR/STTR opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0002221) is a Department of Energy ARPA-E funding call aimed at pushing early-stage, high-impact carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies toward practical use in an electric grid that is increasingly dominated by variable renewable energy (VRE) like wind and solar. ARPA-E exists to back energy technologies that are still too early for most private investors, but that could become transformative with a focused, time-bounded research and development push. The underlying public purpose, grounded in the America COMPETES Acts, is to strengthen US economic and energy security by reducing energy imports, cutting energy-related emissions (including greenhouse gases), and improving energy efficiency, while keeping the United States in a technology leadership position. Awards under this announcement are issued as cooperative agreements and are administered under federal assistance rules (including 2 CFR Part 200 and DOE-specific amendments in 2 CFR Part 910).
Programmatically, FLECCS targets a specific and increasingly important problem: traditional CCS systems can make power plants less operationally flexible, yet future power systems with high VRE penetration need generating assets that can ramp up and down, start and stop, and respond quickly to changing grid conditions. The goal of this SBIR/STTR program is therefore to develop CCS technologies that allow power generators to remain responsive and economically viable while still capturing and storing carbon. ARPA-E is explicitly open to multiple pathways to achieve this, including retrofits to existing generators and entirely new (greenfield) systems. The announcement also makes room for a broad range of concepts by allowing proposals that treat the power plant as a "black box" so long as it takes in a carbon-containing fuel and produces electricity, without prescribing the exact fuel-to-electricity conversion approach.
A key feature of this opportunity is how ARPA-E plans to judge value: not only by the performance of a capture technology in isolation, but by how much it improves the overall economics of running a net-zero carbon electricity grid. Specifically, ARPA-E will evaluate technologies based on their effect on system-level levelized cost of electricity (system LCOE) for a net-zero carbon grid, using capacity expansion modeling to reflect real-world planning tradeoffs (capacity needs, dispatchability, and integration with renewables). Importantly, ARPA-E notes that not every individual CCS technology supported needs to be net-zero carbon on its own. Instead, projects will be assessed as components within a broader net-zero system that could also include negative emissions resources. The FOA frames a system LCOE around $75/MWh for a net-zero carbon electricity system as an aggressive but potentially achievable benchmark, which signals the level of cost performance and grid value ARPA-E is trying to unlock.
Administratively, the opportunity is categorized as discretionary funding for science, technology, and other research and development, listed under CFDA 81.135, and uses a cooperative agreement structure (meaning ARPA-E typically stays substantively involved during execution compared with a standard grant). Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of applicant entity, subject to any additional clarifications in the full announcement. The posting indicates an anticipated number of awards of about 25, with an award ceiling listed as $3,613,889. The opportunity was created on November 14, 2019, and the original closing date for concept papers was December 23, 2019, with guidance encouraging applicants to submit at least 48 hours before the deadline to reduce last-minute submission risks. For broader context and updates on ARPA-E programs and projects, the agency points applicants to its main site at arpa-e.energy.gov.Apply for DE FOA 0002221
- The Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FLEXIBLE CARBON CAPTURE & STORAGE (FLECCS) - SBIR/STTR" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.135.
- This funding opportunity was created on Nov 14, 2019.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 23, 2019 Concept papers are due by December 23, 2019. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their applications at least 48 hours in advance of the submission deadline.. (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 $3,613,889.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 25 candidate(s).
- 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.
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FLECCS SBIR/STTR (DE-FOA-0002221) FAQs
1) What is the FLECCS SBIR/STTR opportunity?
The FLEXIBLE CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE (FLECCS) SBIR/STTR opportunity is a Department of Energy ARPA-E funding call (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0002221) focused on early-stage, high-impact carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies. The program is designed to push promising CCS concepts toward practical use in future electricity systems with high levels of variable renewable energy (VRE) such as wind and solar.
2) Which DOE office is running this funding call?
This opportunity is run by ARPA-E (the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy), within the U.S. Department of Energy.
3) Why is ARPA-E funding CCS under FLECCS?
ARPA-E exists to support energy technologies that are still too early for most private investors, but could become transformative with focused, time-bounded research and development. In FLECCS, the emphasis is on CCS approaches that can work in power systems increasingly dominated by variable renewables, where flexibility and fast response matter.
4) What public purpose does the FOA cite for ARPA-E funding?
The stated public purpose is grounded in the America COMPETES Acts: strengthening U.S. economic and energy security by reducing energy imports, cutting energy-related emissions (including greenhouse gases), improving energy efficiency, and keeping the United States in a technology leadership position.
5) What problem is FLECCS trying to solve?
The program targets a core operational challenge: traditional CCS systems can reduce a power plant's operational flexibility. However, grids with high VRE penetration need generators that can ramp up and down, start and stop, and respond quickly to changing grid conditions. FLECCS seeks CCS technologies that allow power generators to remain responsive and economically viable while capturing and storing carbon.
6) What kinds of CCS approaches are eligible under FLECCS?
ARPA-E is explicitly open to multiple pathways. The FOA indicates that projects may include retrofits to existing generators or entirely new (greenfield) systems. It also allows a broad range of concepts, including proposals that treat the power plant as a "black box" as long as it takes in a carbon-containing fuel and produces electricity.
7) Does the FOA prescribe a specific power generation technology or fuel pathway?
No. The announcement allows proposals that do not specify the exact fuel-to-electricity conversion approach, as long as the system takes a carbon-containing fuel input and produces electricity.
8) What does ARPA-E mean by evaluating technologies at the system level?
FLECCS emphasizes that ARPA-E will judge value not only by how a capture technology performs in isolation, but by how it improves the overall economics of operating a net-zero carbon electricity grid. This is framed as impact on system-level levelized cost of electricity (system LCOE), rather than only plant-level metrics.
9) How will ARPA-E evaluate system-level LCOE impacts?
The FOA states that ARPA-E will use capacity expansion modeling to reflect real-world planning tradeoffs, including capacity needs, dispatchability, and integration with renewables, when evaluating how a technology affects system LCOE for a net-zero carbon grid.
10) Do projects need to be net-zero carbon on their own to be competitive?
Not necessarily. The FOA notes that not every individual CCS technology supported needs to be net-zero carbon on its own. Instead, projects will be assessed as components within a broader net-zero system, which could also include negative emissions resources.
11) What system LCOE benchmark is referenced in the FOA?
The FOA frames a system LCOE around $75/MWh for a net-zero carbon electricity system as an aggressive but potentially achievable benchmark. This signals the level of cost performance and grid value ARPA-E is trying to enable.
12) What is the funding mechanism for awards under this announcement?
Awards under this announcement are issued as cooperative agreements. This typically means ARPA-E expects to be substantively involved during project execution compared with a standard grant.
13) What federal rules govern award administration?
The FOA states that awards are administered under federal assistance rules, including 2 CFR Part 200 and DOE-specific amendments in 2 CFR Part 910.
14) How is this opportunity categorized in federal assistance terms?
The posting indicates it is discretionary funding for science, technology, and other research and development. It is listed under CFDA 81.135.
15) Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of applicant entity, subject to any additional clarifications in the full announcement.
16) Approximately how many awards does ARPA-E expect to make?
The opportunity indicates an anticipated number of awards of about 25.
17) What is the maximum (ceiling) award amount listed?
The award ceiling listed in the posting is $3,613,889.
18) When was this opportunity created and what deadline is mentioned?
The opportunity was created on November 14, 2019. The original closing date for concept papers is listed as December 23, 2019.
19) Is there any submission timing guidance?
Yes. The guidance encourages applicants to submit at least 48 hours before the deadline to reduce last-minute submission risks.
20) Where does the FOA direct applicants for broader ARPA-E program context and updates?
The FOA points applicants to ARPA-E's main site for broader context and updates on ARPA-E programs and projects: arpa-e.energy.gov.
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