FundOpp_DE-FOA-0002893_Amd_000002.pdf

Questions about this FOA? DE-FOA-0002893@netl.doe.gov Problems with EERE Exchange? Email EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov Include FOA name and number in subject line.

i

Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)

Fiscal Year 2023 Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) Program

Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) Number: DE-FOA-0002893

FOA Type: Initial Assistance Listing Number: 81.086

FOA Issue Date: 5/19/2023 Amendment 00001 5/30/2023 Amendment 00002 6/14/2023 Submission Deadline for Concept Papers: 6/26/2023 5:00pm ET Anticipated Date of Concept Paper Notifications 7/14/2023 Submission Deadline for Full Applications: 8/11/2023 5:00pm ET Expected Date for EERE Selection Notifications: November 2023 Expected Timeframe for Award Negotiations: December 2023 – January 2024

• Applicants must submit a Concept Paper by 5:00pm ET on the due date listed above to be eligible to submit a Full Application.

• To apply to this FOA, applicants must register with and submit application materials through EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-eXCHANGE.energy.gov, EERE’s online application portal.

• Applicants must designate primary and backup points-of-contact in EERE eXCHANGE with whom EERE will communicate to conduct award negotiations. If an application is selected for award negotiations, it is not a commitment to issue an award. It is imperative that the applicant/selectee be responsive during award negotiations and meet negotiation deadlines. Failure to do so may result in cancelation of further award negotiations and rescission of the selection.

https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ subject line.

ii

AMENDMENTS

All changes to the Funding Opportunity Announcement as a result of Amendment 000001 are highlighted in yellow.

All changes to the Funding Opportunity Announcement as a result of Amendment 000002 are highlighted in green.

Amendment No. Date Description of Amendment 00001 05/30/2023 • Section III.A.i Restricted Eligibility is revised to remove language related to Idaho National Laboratory and to specifically identify The National Energy Technology Laboratory as ineligible to participate as a prime applicant or as a team member/sub-recipient on any application.

00002 6/14/23 • Section I.A.iii is added to define Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion; with emphasis on Identifying Disadvantaged Communities.

• Section I.B Topic Area of Interest 6 is updated to incorporate additional Objective and Teaming Arrangement language.

• Section IV.D.i Current and Pending Support requirement is incorporated in the Full Application Content Requirements as already detailed in Section IV.D.xv and Section VI.B.xviii.

• Section IV.D.i and Section IV.D.xvi incorporates Locations of Work Documentation Applicant requirements.

NOTE: REGISTRATION/SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Registration Requirements

There are several one-time actions that must be completed before submitting an application in response to this Funding Opportunity Announcement(FOA) (e.g., register with EERE subject line.

iii eXCHANGE.gov, register with the System for Award Management (SAM), obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number, register with Grants.gov, and, if selected for award, be registered in FedConnect). It is vital that applicants address these items as soon as possible. Some may take several weeks, and failure to complete them could interfere with an applicant’s ability to apply to this FOA.

Applicants must register through the EERE eXCHANGE.

EERE eXCHANGE website: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/

Applicants must register with the SAM.

SAM website: http://www.sam.gov/ NOTE: Designating an Electronic Business Point of Contact (EBiz POC) and obtaining a special password called an MPIN are important steps in SAM registration. More information about SAM registration for applicants is found at:

https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Grants_Registrations_v1.7.pdf.

Failure to register with SAM will prevent your organization from applying through Grants.gov.

The applicant must maintain an active SAM registration with current information at all times during which it has an active Federal award or application under consideration. More information about SAM registration for applicants is found at:

https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4 bcbcb.

NOTE: If clicking the SAM links do not work, please copy and paste the link into your browser.

Due to the high demand of SAM registrations and UEI requests, entity legal business name and address validations are taking longer than expected to process. Entities should start the SAM and UEI registration process as soon as possible. If entities have technical difficulties with the SAM registration or UEI validation process they should utilize the HELP feature on SAM.gov. SAM.gov will work entity service tickets in the order in which they are received and asks that entities not create multiple service tickets for the same request or technical issue. Additional entity validation resources can be found here: GSAFSD Tier 0 Knowledge Base - Validating your Entity.

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) – Applicants must obtain an UEI from the SAM to uniquely identify the entity. The UEI is available in the SAM entity registration record.

NOTE: Subawardees/subrecipients at all tiers must also obtain an UEI from the SAM and provide the UEI to the Prime Recipient before the subaward can be issued. Full registration in SAM is not required to obtain an UEI for subaward reporting.

Applicants must register with Grants.gov.

Grants.gov website: https://www.grants.gov/ https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ http://www.sam.gov/ https://www.sam.gov/sam/transcript/Quick_Guide_for_Grants_Registrations_v1.7.pdf https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcbcb https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=gsafsd_kb_articles&sys_id=650d493e1bab7c105465eaccac4bcbcb https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1 https://www.fsd.gov/gsafsd_sp?id=kb_article_view&sysparm_article=KB0058422&sys_kb_id=1b5f22581b2115102fe5ed7ae54bcb4e&spa=1 https://www.grants.gov/ subject line.

iv

Applicants must register with Grants.gov in order to receive automatic updates, in the event that Amendments to this FOA are posted. However, please note that applications will not be accepted through Grants.gov. More information about the registration steps for Grants.gov is provided at: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html

Applicants must register with FedConnect.

FedConnect website: www.fedconnect.net.

In the event that an application is selected for negotiation of award, Applicants must be registered with FedConnect to receive the award. For more information regarding registration with FedConnect review the FedConnect Ready, Set, Go! Guide at https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Marketing/Documents/FedConnect_Ready_Set_G o.pdf.

Submission Requirements All application submissions are to be made via the EERE eXCHANGE at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/. To gain access to the EERE eXCHANGE system, the applicant must first register and create an account on the main EERE eXCHANGE site. This account will then allow the user to submit an application for open EERE Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) that are currently in EERE Exchange. It is recommended that each organization or business unit, whether acting as a team or a single entity, utilize one account as the appropriate contact information for each submission.

Applicants will receive an automated response when the Application is received; this will serve as a confirmation of EERE receipt. Please do not reply to the automated response. A “User Guide” for the EERE eXCHANGE can be found on the EERE website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx after logging in to the system.

To receive notices via email regarding an FOA in EERE Exchange, such as amendments to the announcement or the posting of new questions and answers from eXCHANGE you must initiate an application submission to the FOA of interest. Please note that you must finalize and submit your application before the specified due date and time to be considered for award.

Questions Questions related to the use of the EERE eXCHANGE website or technical issues concerning the application submittal should be submitted to: EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov.

Questions related to the content of the Funding Opportunity Announcement must be submitted to: DE-FOA-0002893@netl.doe.gov and shall be submitted not later than three (3) business days prior to the application due date and time. Questions submitted after that date may not allow the Government sufficient time to respond.

All questions and answers related to the content of this FOA will be posted at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx. Applicants are encouraged to check the FAQ prior to submitting a question. DOE will try to respond to questions within 5 business days.

https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/applicants/registration.html http://www.fedconnect.net/ https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Marketing/Documents/FedConnect_Ready_Set_Go.pdf https://www.fedconnect.net/FedConnect/Marketing/Documents/FedConnect_Ready_Set_Go.pdf https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx mailto:EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov mailto:DE-FOA-0002893@netl.doe.gov https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/FAQ.aspx subject line.

v

Applicants are encouraged to review the posted questions and answers daily. Please note that you must first select this FOA Number in order to view the questions and answers specific to this FOA.

subject line.

vi

Table of Contents

Table of Contents.................................................................................................................................................. vi

I. Funding Opportunity Description

A. Background and Context

i. Background and Purpose

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals

iii. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

iv. Teaming Partner List

B. Topic Areas C. Applications Specifically Not of Interest D. R&D Community Benefits Plan E. Authorizing Statutes

II. Award Information

A. Award Overview

i. Estimated Funding

ii. Period of Performance

iii. New Applications Only

B. EERE Funding Agreements

i. Cooperative Agreements

ii. Funding Agreements with Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDCs)

III. Eligibility Information

A. Eligible Applicants

i. Restricted Eligibility

ii. Individuals

iii. Domestic Entities

iv. Foreign Entities

B. Cost Sharing

i. Legal Responsibility

ii. Cost Share Allocation

iii. Cost Share Types and Allowability

iv. Cost Share Contributions by FFRDCs

v. Cost Share Verification

vi. Cost Share Payment

C. Compliance Criteria

i. Compliance Criteria

D. Responsiveness Criteria E. Other Eligibility Requirements

i. Requirements for DOE/NNSA and non-DOE/NNSA Federally Funded Research and Development Centers Included as a Subrecipient

F. Limitation on Number of Concept Papers and Full Applications Eligible for Review G. Questions Regarding Eligibility

IV. Application and Submission Information

A. Application Process

i. Additional Information on EERE eXCHANGE

B. Application Forms C. Content and Form of the Concept Paper subject line.

vii

i. Concept Paper Content Requirements D. Content and Form of the Full Application

i. Full Application Content Requirements

ii. Technical Volume

iii. Resumes

iv. Letters of Commitment

v. Statement of Project Objectives (SOPO)

vi. SF-424: Application for Federal Assistance

vii. Budget Justification Workbook

viii. Summary/Abstract for Public Release

ix. Summary Slide

x. Subrecipient Budget Justification (if applicable)

xi. Authorization for non-DOE/NNSA or DOE/NNSA FFRDCs (if applicable)

xii. SF-LLL: Disclosure of Lobbying Activities (required)

xiii. Waiver Requests: Foreign Entity and Foreign Work (if applicable)

xiv. R&D Community Benefits Plan:

xv. Current and Pending Support

xvi. Locations of Work

xvii. Transparency of Foreign Connections

xviii. Potentially Duplicative Funding Notice

E. Post Selection Information Requests F. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and System for Award Management (SAM) G. Submission Dates and Times H. Intergovernmental Review I. Funding Restrictions

i. Allowable Costs

ii. Pre-Award Costs

iii. Performance of Work in the United States (Foreign Work Waiver)

iv. Construction

v. Foreign Travel

vi. Equipment and Supplies

vii. Buy America Requirements for Infrastructure Projects

viii. Lobbying

ix. Risk Assessment

x. Invoice Review and Approval

xi. Prohibition Related to Foreign Government-Sponsored Talent Recruitment Programs

xii. Foreign Collaboration Considerations

V. Application Review Information

A. Technical Review Criteria

i. Concept Papers

ii. Full Applications

B. Standards for Application Evaluation C. Other Selection Factors

i. Program Policy Factors D. Evaluation and Selection Process

i. Overview

ii. Pre-Selection Clarification

iii. Recipient Integrity and Performance Matters

iv. Selection

E. Anticipated Notice of Selection and Award Negotiation Dates

VI. Award Administration Information subject line.

viii

A. Award Notices

i. Ineligible Submissions

ii. Concept Paper Notifications

iii. Full Application Notifications

iv. Successful Applicants

v. Alternate Selection Determinations

vi. Unsuccessful Applicants

B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements

i. Registration Requirements

ii. Award Administrative Requirements

iii. Subaward and Executive Reporting

iv. National Policy Requirements

v. Environmental Review in Accordance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)

vi. Flood Resilience

vii. Applicant Representations and Certifications

viii. Statement of Federal Stewardship

ix. Statement of Substantial Involvement

x. Subject Invention Utilization Reporting

xi. Intellectual Property Provisions

xii. Reporting

xiii. Go/No-Go Review

xiv. Conference Spending

xv. Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) Financing Statements

xvi. Implementation of Executive Order 13798, Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty

xvii. Participants and Collaborating Organizations

xviii. Current and Pending Support

xix. U.S. Manufacturing Commitments

xx. Data Management Plan (DMP) (if applicable)

xxi. Fraud, Waste and Abuse

xxii. Human Subjects Research

VII. Questions/Agency Contacts

VIII. Other Information

A. FOA Modifications B. Government Right to Reject or Negotiate C. Commitment of Public Funds D. Treatment of Application Information E. Evaluation and Administration by Non-Federal Personnel F. Notice Regarding Eligible/Ineligible Activities G. Notice of Right to Conduct a Review of Financial Capability H. Requirement for Full and Complete Disclosure I. Retention of Submissions J. Title to Subject Inventions K. Government Rights in Subject Inventions L. Rights in Technical Data M. Copyright N. Export Control O. Prohibition on Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment P. Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Q. Annual Independent Audits R. Interim Conflict of Interest Policy for Financial Assistance (February 2022) S. Foreign National Participation (SEPTEMBER 2021) subject line.

ix

Appendix A – Cost Share Information

Appendix B – Sample Cost Share Calculation for Blended Cost Share Percentage

Appendix C – Waiver Requests and Approval Processes

T. 1. Waiver for Foreign Entity Participation U. 2. Waiver for Performance of Work in the United States V. (Foreign Work Waiver)

Appendix D – Required Use of American Iron, Steel, Manufactured Products, and Construction Materials

Appendix E – Glossary

Appendix F – Definition of Technology Readiness Levels

Appendix G – List of Acronyms

Appendix H – R&D Community Benefits Plan Guidance

Questions about this FOA? Email DE-FOA-0002893@netl.doe.gov subject line.

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Background and Context The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), on behalf of the Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO), is issuing a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) entitled, “Fiscal Year 2023 Vehicle Technologies Office Program Wide Funding Opportunity Announcement”. The activities supported by this FOA are authorized under the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT 2005) Public Law 109-58, TITLE IX - Energy Efficiency, Section 911. These provisions are found in the United States Code at 42 U.S.C. § 16191. Additional authorities include the following:

• Title VII, Subtitles B, C, D of EPACT 2005 (42 U.S.C. §§ 16061-16093)

• Sections 131-136 of EISA 2007 (42 U.S.C. § Electric Drive System Innovations

• § 17011-17013)

i. Background and Purpose

Building a clean and equitable energy economy and addressing the climate crisis is a top priority of the Biden Administration. This FOA will advance the Biden Administration’s goals to achieve carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 and to “deliver an equitable, clean energy future, and put the United States on a path to achieve net-zero emissions, economy-wide, by no later than 2050“1 to the benefit of all Americans. The Department of Energy is committed to pushing the frontiers of science and engineering, catalyzing clean energy jobs through research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D), and ensuring environmental justice and inclusion of underserved communities.

The research and development (R&D) activities to be funded under this FOA will support the government-wide approach to the climate crisis by driving the innovation that can lead to the deployment of clean energy technologies, which are critical for climate protection. Specifically, this FOA is seeking innovative solutions for on-road and off-road vehicles to develop and accelerate the charging infrastructure and drastically-reduced GHG emissions in support of Administration goals. In partnership with industry, VTO has established aggressive targets to focus research, demonstration and deployment on cost-reduction, efficiency, and emissions reduction that improve air quality and improved mobility.

1 Executive Order 14008, “Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad,” January 27, 2021.

subject line.

ii. Technology Space and Strategic Goals This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) seeks research projects to address priorities in the following areas: the cost-effective deployment of EV charging for those without easy home charging; innovative solutions to improve mobility options for underserved communities; community engagement to accelerate clean transportation options in underserved communities; batteries and electrification; materials technologies; mobility system supporting public transportation; advanced vehicle charging solutions, dimethyl ether engine for off-road applications, hydrogen combustion engines, to improve fuel economy and reduce GHG emissions with the goals of carbon pollution free electricity by 2035 and net-zero of GHG emissions by 2050. Detailed technical descriptions of the specific topics are provided in the sections that follow.

iii. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion It is the policy of the Biden Administration that:

The Federal Government should pursue a comprehensive approach to advancing equity2 for all, including people of color and others who have been historically underserved, marginalized, and adversely affected by persistent poverty and inequality.

Affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice, and equal opportunity is the responsibility of the whole of our Government.

Because advancing equity requires a systematic approach to embedding fairness in decision-making processes, executive departments and agencies (agencies) must recognize and work to redress inequities in their policies and programs that serve as barriers to equal opportunity.

By advancing equity across the Federal Government, we can create opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, which benefits everyone.3

2 The term “equity” means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

3 Executive Order 13985, “Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government” (Jan. 20, 2021).

subject line.

As part of this whole of government approach, this FOA seeks to encourage the participation of underserved communities4 and underrepresented groups.

Applicants are highly encouraged to include individuals from groups historically underrepresented5,6 in STEM on their project teams. As part of the application, applicants are required to describe how diversity, equity, and inclusion objectives will be incorporated in the project. Specifically, applicants are required to submit a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Plan that describes the actions the applicant will take to foster a welcoming and inclusive environment, support people from underrepresented groups in STEM, advance equity, and encourage the inclusion of individuals from these groups in the project; and the extent the project activities will be located in or benefit underserved communities. The plan should include at least one SMART (Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-Related) milestone per budget period supported by metrics to measure the success of the proposed actions. This plan will be evaluated as part of the technical review process, and incorporated into the award if selected.

4 The term “underserved communities” refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list of in the definition of “equity.” E.O. 13985. For purposes of this FOA, as applicable to geographic communities, applicants can refer to economically distressed communities identified by the Internal Revenue Service as Qualified Opportunity Zones; communities identified as disadvantaged or underserved communities by their respective States; communities identified on the Index of Deep Disadvantage referenced at https://news.umich.edu/new-index-ranks-americas-100-most-disadvantaged-communities/, and communities that otherwise meet the definition of “underserved communities” stated above.

5 According to the National Science Foundation’s 2019 report titled, “Women, Minorities and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering”, women, persons with disabilities, and underrepresented minority groups—blacks or African Americans, Hispanics or Latinos, and American Indians or Alaska Natives—are vastly underrepresented in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields that drive the energy sector.

That is, their representation in STEM education and STEM employment is smaller than their representation in the U.S. population. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf19304/digest/about-this-report For example, in the U.S., Hispanics, African Americans and American Indians or Alaska Natives make up 24 percent of the overall workforce, yet only account for 9 percent of the country’s science and engineering workforce. DOE seeks to inspire underrepresented Americans to pursue careers in energy and support their advancement into leadership positions.

https://www.energy.gov/articles/introducing-minorities-energy-initiative 6 See also. Note that Congress recognized in section 305 of the American Innovation and Competitiveness Act of 2017, Public Law 114-329:

(1) [I]t is critical to our Nation’s economic leadership and global competitiveness that the United States educate, train, and retain more scientists, engineers, and computer scientists; (2) there is currently a disconnect between the availability of and growing demand for STEM-skilled workers;

(3) historically, underrepresented populations are the largest untapped STEM talent pools in the United States; and (4) given the shifting demographic landscape, the United States should encourage full participation of individuals from underrepresented populations in STEM fields.

https://news.umich.edu/new-index-ranks-americas-100-most-disadvantaged-communities/ https://news.umich.edu/new-index-ranks-americas-100-most-disadvantaged-communities/ https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf19304/digest/about-this-report https://www.energy.gov/articles/introducing-minorities-energy-initiative subject line.

Further, Minority Serving Institutions7, Minority Business Enterprises, Minority Owned Businesses, Woman Owned Businesses, Veteran Owned Businesses, or entities located in an underserved community that meet the eligibility requirements (See Section III.) are encouraged to apply as the prime applicant or participate on an application as a proposed partner to the prime applicant. The Selection Official may consider the inclusion of these types of entities as part of the selection decision.

Identifying Disadvantaged Communities (DAC) The Justice40 Initiative directs that 40% of benefits realized from covered programs accrue to “disadvantaged communities” (DACs). The DOE Justice40 Initiative benefits include (but are not limited to) measurable direct or indirect investments or positive project outcomes that achieve or contribute to the following policy priorities in DACs: (1) a decrease in energy burden; (2) a decrease in environmental exposure and burdens; (3) an increase in access to low-cost capital; (4) an increase in high-quality job creation, the clean energy job pipeline, and job training for individuals; (5) increases in clean energy enterprise creation and contracting (e.g., minority-owned or disadvantaged business enterprises); (6) increases in energy democracy, including community ownership;

(7) increased parity in clean energy technology access and adoption; and (8) an increase in energy resilience. These Justice40 policy priorities are further described at www.energy.gov/diversity/justice40-initiative.

OMB Interim Guidance defines a community as either: (1) a group of individuals living in geographic proximity (such as census tract), or (2) a geographically dispersed set of individuals (such as migrant workers or Native Americans), where either type of group experiences common conditions. Additionally, federally recognized tribal lands and U.S. territories, in their entirety, are categorized as DACs in accordance with OMB’s Interim Guidance “common conditions” definition of community. Geographically defined DACs can be identified using the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST) at https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/.

7 Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), including Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Other Minority Institutions as educational entities recognized by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Education, and identified on the OCR's Department of Education U.S. accredited postsecondary minorities’ institution list. See https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html.

http://www.energy.gov/diversity/justice40-initiative https://screeningtool.geoplatform.gov/ https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/edlite-minorityinst.html subject line.

iv. Teaming Partner List DOE is compiling a Teaming Partner List to facilitate the formation of new project teams for this FOA. The Teaming Partner List allows organizations who may wish to participate on an application to express their interest to other applicants and to explore potential partnerships.

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS: Any organization that would like to be included on this list should access EERE eXCHANGE and choose the menu item labelled Teaming Partners. From the pulldown menu, select this FOA, DE-FOA-0002893.

Enter your organization and contact information and press Register. For further information regarding teaming partner lists, see https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx.

B. Topic Areas

Topic

Area of Interest Number

Topic Area of Interest Title

Batteries and Electrification 1a High-Capacity, Long Cycle Life Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) Batteries 1b Mechanistic Modeling of Li-S Batteries 2 Improved 12-volt Lead Acid Batteries for Safety-critical Electric Vehicle Applications 3 Advanced Integrated On-board Charging System 4 Advanced Wireless Charging Concepts for Heavy-Duty Vehicles

Combustion and Advanced Fuels 5 Development and Demonstration of Dimethyl Ether Engine for Off-Road Applications 6 Hydrogen Combustion Engines

Lightweight Materials

7 Circularity and Sustainability of Polymer Composites for Vehicle Lightweighting and Decarbonization

8 Domestic Magnesium Production Research 9 Novel Lightweight Materials

Energy Efficient Mobility Systems 10 Mobility System Approaches Supporting Public Transportation

Technology Integration 11 Reducing Soft Costs of Electric Vehicle Infrastructure to Enable Widespread Deployment 12 Consumer Education Campaign for Electric Vehicles and Charging 13 Demonstration and Deployment (Open topic) 14 Clean Cities Coalition Network Outreach, Education and Training https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx subject line.

Area of Interest 1a: High-Capacity, Long Cycle Life Lithium-Sulfur (Li-S) Batteries

Introduction Lithium-based batteries are the favored technology for decarbonization of the transportation sector via electric vehicles; however, several key targets, including cost and energy density (which is coupled to vehicle range), are difficult to meet based on the materials presently in use. In particular, layered metal oxide cathode materials like NMC are composed of cobalt and nickel, which incur higher cost, potential price instability due to the rapid increase in demand, and supply chain constraints with regards to ore sourcing and processing.

Sulfur cathodes, by contrast, are based on low-cost, highly abundant material, alleviating supply chain concerns and also have a very high specific capacity, promising a path forward to higher cell energy densities. Technical feasibility of lithium-sulfur batteries has been made difficult by several materials and cell design issues, including the polysulfide shuttle phenomenon, volume change with cycling, and low electronic and ionic conductivity which lead to poor cycling behavior and low energy density due to low S utilization in high loading electrodes.

This topic seeks 2 Ah or greater Li-S cells designed to address these issues sufficiently to rival lithium-ion battery performance and cycle life.

Objective Proposed work must be cathode-focused in order to improve S utilization, control polysulfide shuttle and other loss mechanisms. The expected final deliverable includes five 2 Ah or greater Li-S cells delivered for independent testing and demonstrating at least 250 Wh/kg and over 1,000 cycles at C/3 charge/discharge rate, 80% depth of discharge, with 80% capacity retention.

Higher sulfur cathode loadings and long cycle life may be achieved, for example, through novel cathode architectures or cell designs, improved catholytes, catalysts to improve Li2S conversion or to decompose polysulfides, and sulfurized polymers, among other innovative approaches.

Table: Performance targets for Li-S cells deliverables

Initial cell capacity ≥2 Ah Cell energy density ≥250 Wh/kg Cell cycle life ≥1,000 cycles with 80% initial capacity Cell applied pressure ≤1 MPa Temperature Ambient (25 °C)

Requirements Final deliverables:

1. Identify the cell components’ composition/construction with a focus on the sulfur based cathode being developed, but also describe and justify the choice of cathode material(s) including conductive components, catalysts (if any), binder, and the sulfur active material and electrolyte composition;

subject line.

2. Identify major issues impeding the proposed cell chemistry and the specific barriers to be overcome during the research effort to reach the deliverable targets for energy density and cycle life. Include the strategy for minimizing applied pressure for solid electrolyte systems;

3. Describe how the proposed effort is different than past and current research efforts;

4. Include supporting theoretical predictions and/or relevant experimental data supporting performance claims;

5. Indicate if data is from half-cells or paired with an anode material; full cell data is preferred, however in the event only half cell data is available coulombic efficiency must be included:

a. Include the electrode loading (mAh/cm2 and mg S/cm2) and composition (weight %), and electrolyte loading (µL/mg S for liquid; thickness of membrane layer for solid) and electrolyte composition of all cell performance data; and

b. Indicate what temperature the experiments were performed at as well as the upper and lower voltage and applied pressure used for cycling the cell.

6. Identify performance targets that represent the highest risk for achievement during the project and the strategies to mitigate these risks;

7. The cell specific energy milestone of this topic is 250 Wh/kg, but S cathode cells can achieve much higher specific energies. Detail a viable strategy to achieve 350 Wh/kg or higher through improvements to cell design such as lean electrolyte formulations (≤6 µL/mg S, liquid; ≤50 µm membrane thickness, solid) and high sulfur loading (≤6 mg S/cm2) that is compatible with the materials and design that will be pursued to meet the 250 Wh/kg deliverable;

8. Describe the testing and diagnostics planned to characterize, investigate, and mitigate issues; and

9. Go-No Go decision point based on internal full cell test results demonstrating progress towards final targets must be included in the SOPO.

Teaming Arrangements It is strongly encouraged that a battery manufacturer or OEM be the prime applicant.

Special Deliverables Final deliverables:

1. Five ≥2 Ah cells meeting the above requirements to be delivered to DOE for independent testing; and

2. At least one month of testing data for all deliverable cell builds will be carried out by the Applicant following test protocols approved by the DOE. This data will be shared with DOE and the testing lab prior to deliverable shipment to the testing laboratory.

Note: All cell deliverables must be greater than 2 Ah. It is acceptable to deliver cells that do not meet performance targets, as long as the cell components (electrodes with similar active material content, porosity, thickness, loading, etc. and separator thickness) in the delivered subject line.

cells, when scaled to automotive size (40Ah or greater) are capable of meeting the targets: i.e., an applicant will not be penalized for packaging inefficiencies of small cells, but needs to deliver cells with automotive relevant electrodes, separators, and electrolyte volume. If the deliverable cells do not meet performance targets, a model validating the proposed scaling factors will also be required for baseline, interim, and final cells.

All cells shall be provided to the DOE for validation testing at a to-be-designated DOE National Laboratory. Non-Destructive Performance Validation testing will be conducted on the cells to validate performance. This testing will be conducted outside the scope of the proposed project and should not be included in the total estimated project costs included with the application.

Participation by a DOE National Laboratory in test planning and execution will be addressed by a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) between the National Laboratory and the Applicant.

Test procedures will be provided by the Applicant and shall incorporate specifications and limits supplied by the manufacturer for the specific technology such as voltage and current limits, state of charge, charging, and temperature recommendations, number of test sequences, and/or other relevant test conditions as appropriate. The results of the DOE national laboratory testing may be documented in a publicly releasable Summary Test Report (approved by both DOE and the Applicant prior to release) that validates performance of the deliverables relative to the end item performance targets as well as the technology deployment impact relative to DOE strategic goals. The Summary Test Report will be approved by the DOE (Vehicle Technologies Office) and the Applicant. Test cells or special test equipment supplied by the end item manufacturer for the purposes of the test will be returned at the conclusion of testing at no cost to the project.

Applications Discouraged The following applications are discouraged:

1. Those that focus on anode or electrolyte development;

2. Those that incorporate precious or expensive metals such as Ag or In; and

3. Those that include excess applied cell stack pressure ≥ 1MPa.

subject line.

Area of Interest 1b: Mechanistic Modeling of Li-S Batteries

Introduction In addition to being low-cost and abundant, sulfur battery cathodes can achieve much higher energy densities than cathodes presently in commercial use for lithium-ion batteries. To date, however, only modest energy densities and low cycle life cells have been achieved due to the difficulty of increasing sulfur utilization in high-loading sulfur cathodes. Because the sulfur cathode depends on the conversion of sulfur to Li2S on discharge and the reverse reaction during charging, lithium ions and electrons must be distributed to the sulfur cathode active material to enable the reaction, as sulfur is neither electronically nor ionically conductive.

Furthermore, the complex set of electrochemical steps and intermediates between elemental sulfur, S8, and Li2S, impose thermodynamic, kinetic and transport limitations (including the high solubility of the intermediate polysulfide species in organic electrolytes).

Improving the state of the art in Li-S batteries depends on comprehensive understanding of the sulfur to Li2S conversion reaction and its reverse to overcome the present limitations in sulfur cathode design and cell cycle life. This understanding is also necessary to point the way towards effective integration of sulfur cathodes into high-cycle life, high-energy density Li-S batteries.

Although many aspects of sulfur cathode cycling have been reported in the literature, the field lacks a comprehensive electrochemical model incorporating reaction pathways, electrolyte interactions, and cathode composition and morphology, all bolstered by experiment. This topic seeks coupled experimental and computational investigation resulting in a significantly enhanced understanding of the thermodynamic, kinetic, and transport parameters governing electrochemical cycling of sulfur conversion cathodes.

Objective The topic seeks more accurate and in-depth understanding of sulfur cathode electrochemistry through closely coupled experimental and computational investigation of all relevant phenomena. The goal of this understanding is to indicate materials and electrode design approaches that will improve practical sulfur cathode energy density and cycle life.

Requirements

1. Outline methodology and tools for investigating:

a. Thermodynamics and kinetics of sulfur oxidation to Li2S and Li2S reduction to sulfur, including all intermediate steps;

b. Relevant transport phenomena, including the dissolution and deposition of polysulfide intermediate species and lithium ion and electron transport during sulfur reduction and oxidation;

c. The role of electrolyte composition and the electron conductor composition and distribution in the cathode to promote sulfur cycling; and

d. Loss mechanisms, including deleterious side reactions, formation of isolated sulfur or Li2S, etc.

subject line.

2. Identify critical barriers and risks in approach that potentially impede full, accurate understanding of sulfur cathode electrochemical cycling; and

3. Describe how the proposed effort is different than past and current research efforts.

Teaming Arrangements None.

Special Deliverables In addition to standard reporting requirements, reports will be prepared and submitted to be published as part of the Advanced Battery Materials Research (BMR) quarterly report (available at bmr.lbl.gov).

Applications Discouraged Applications that focus on anode or electrolyte development.

subject line.

Area of Interest 2: Improved 12 Volt Lead Acid Batteries for Safety-Critical Electric Vehicle Applications

Introduction The lead acid battery is a mature technology and has been used in many power applications for over 100 years. The technology employs lead (Pb) as the active material of the negative electrode, lead dioxide (PbO2) as the active material of the positive electrode, and sulfuric acid (about 35% by weight) as the electrolyte. The theoretical specific energy of the technology is 171 Wh/kg, but practical lead acid batteries’ specific energies are in the range of 30-45 Wh/kg.

In addition to having the highest cell voltage (2 Volts) of all battery technologies using aqueous electrolytes, a major advantage of lead acid batteries is their ability to supply both high and low currents over a wide range of temperatures (-40oC to 55 oC). As a result, lead acid batteries are primarily used to start an Internal Combustion Engine Vehicle (ICEV), typically known as Starting, Lighting and Ignition (SLI) application.

Objective:

Although lead acid batteries are not suitable for present electric vehicles (EVs) due to their low specific energy and limited cycle life, a 12V (typically rated at 70 Ah) lead acid battery can still be employed in EVs. In this application, the 12V battery serves as a critical safety feature to engage and disengage the high-voltage propulsion battery (typically a lithium-ion battery rated between 400-800V and 60-100 kWh). Additionally, EVs that utilize a primary lithium battery require redundant power for safety critical features such as automated driving assistance, adaptive cruise control, street sign recognition, lane centering, steer-by-wire systems, brake-by-wire systems, and evasion assistance. Today’s EVs use either lead acid or lithium-ion batteries for this 12V auxiliary (AUX) battery application. For lead acid batteries, either the enhanced flooded battery (EFB) type (also referred to maintenance free lead acid battery) or the absorbed glass mat (AGM) battery can perform this critical safety function. The main objective of this FOA is to improve the service life and performance requirements to meet these critical safety features while reducing the cost of the EFB and AGM lead acid battery. Improvements in 12V lead battery performance and cost can be achieved through development of more robust product designs and manufacturing processes.

Requirements:

For both types of lead acid batteries, self-discharge and especially corrosion of the lead grid used at the current collectors are life limiting. Research is needed to improve the service life by a factor of 1.5-2.0 over current commercial battery technology (i.e. go from 5-8 year currently for lead acid to 10 – 15 years to match OEM current practice), while meeting safety critical performance requirements.

For AGM acid batteries, the cost is high due to expensive components such as the fiberglass mat used between the positive and negative electrodes. Research is needed to find alternate, subject line.

low-cost materials to lower battery cost by a factor of 1.55 - 2.0 over existing technology without sacrificing the performance needed to meet safety critical performance requirements.

Applications must include:

1. Identify the battery components’ composition/construction;

2. Identify major issues impeding the proposed cell chemistry and the specific barriers to be overcome during the research effort to reach the deliverable targets;

3. Describe how the proposed effort is different than past and current research efforts;

4. Include supporting theoretical predictions and/or relevant experimental data supporting performance claims;

5. Indicate current service life and cost and the proposed goal of the research plan;

6. Identify performance targets needed to meet safety critical applications and the performance targets that represent the highest risk for achievement during the project and the strategies to mitigate these risks;

7. Describe the testing and diagnostics planned to characterize, investigate, and mitigate issues; and

8. Explain how, if the proposed R&D plan is successful, the 12V lead acid battery developed would be a competitive commercial option to a lithium-ion 12V battery for safety critical applications in electric vehicles.

Collaborative teams combining knowledge and capabilities are encouraged.

Special Deliverables Three, 12V lead acid batteries for an independent evaluation. Technical reports and research papers that document battery life and cost improvement.

All batteries shall be provided to the DOE for validation testing at a to-be-designated DOE National Laboratory. Non-Destructive Performance Validation testing will be conducted on the batteries to validate performance. This testing will be conducted outside the scope of the proposed project and should not be included in the total estimated project costs included with the application. Participation by a DOE National Laboratory in test planning and execution will be addressed by a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) between the National Laboratory and the Applicant. Test procedures will be provided by the Applicant and shall incorporate specifications and limits supplied by the manufacturer for the specific technology such as voltage and current limits, state of charge, charging, and temperature recommendations, number of test sequences, and/or other relevant test conditions as appropriate. The results of the DOE national laboratory testing may be documented in a publicly releasable Summary Test Report (approved by both DOE and the Applicant prior to release) that validates performance of the deliverables relative to the end item performance targets as well as the technology deployment impact relative to DOE strategic goals. The Summary Test Report will be approved by the DOE (Vehicle Technologies Office) and the Applicant. Test batteries or special test subject line.

equipment supplied by the end item manufacturer for the purposes of the test will be returned at the conclusion of testing at no cost to the project.

Applications Discouraged None.

Applications not of Interest Lead acid batteries used or designed for energy storage grid application and uninterrupted power supply application.

Lead acid batteries for EV propulsion application.

subject line.

Area of Interest 3: Advanced Integrated On-board Charging System

Introduction Plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) have an on-board charging system, which converts alternating current (AC) input power into direct current (DC) power for the on-board battery and controls the current and voltage at which the battery is charged. Development of EVs has historically focused on independent advancement of on-board charging systems and electric traction drive systems. This approach has resulted in a system that is not optimized for vehicle cost, mass, and volume, and does not enable the full capabilities of the technologies utilized. Functional integration of the charging and electric traction drive systems can enable not only reduced vehicle cost, mass, and volume, but can provide enhanced capabilities, such as enabling the vehicle to provide power to homes, buildings, or the grid, enabling smart charge management.

Today this enhanced capability is only available through separate components that increase cost and require additional packaging space, which hinders the adoption in most electric vehicles.

Objective The objective of this area of interest (AOI) is to research, develop, and demonstrate innovative, functionally integrated systems co-optimizing both on-board charging and electric traction drive power electronics to reduce cost and improve charging capability, including bi-directional vehicle-to-home (V2H) and vehicle-to-building (V2B). The projects should focus on integration and optimization of the on-board charger and inverter to provide increased functionality with an improved efficiency and reduced overall cost. This AOI focuses on integration of on-board charger/inverter and utilization of advanced materials to improve performance and reliability of on-board power electronics while reducing overall cost, mass, and volume. Vehicle demonstration and validation in real world environments is required, with technologies applicable to light, medium, and/or heavy-duty battery electric vehicles.

Potential areas of innovation for integration include, but are not limited to:

1. Novel technologies which co-optimize the functional integration of the on-board charger/inverter;

2. Advanced component integration (Wide Band Gap semiconductors, capacitors, magnetics);

3. Thermal management innovations;

4. Innovative use of advanced materials to improve or benefit the integrated system;

5. Multi-physics integration of power electronics;

6. Bi-directional inductive power transfer systems; and

7. Higher voltage on-board system architecture (> 1kV).

subject line.

General Requirements Applications must include:

1. Identify the approach for the co-optimized integrated charging/electric traction drive solution and the proposed advancements to the state-of-the-art charging and electric traction drive systems;

2. Identify the baseline system, specifications, and the associated cost, mass, volume, and efficiency;

3. Describe the improvements to the charging and propulsion system packaging, capabilities, performance, and lifetime/reliability and reductions in the system cost;

4. Describe the overall integrated systems charge power rating, bi-directional capability, electric traction drive power rating, system voltage, and efficiency;

5. Target a technology that provides a…