Fiscal Year 2025 Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator
Closed Posted
- Opportunity number
- DE-FOA-0003460
- Agency
-
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Department of Energy
- Applications due
- Award size
- $1,000,000 to $4,000,000
Opportunity facts
- Assistance listings
- Funding instrument
- Cooperative Agreement
- Category
-
- Energy
- Eligible applicants
-
- Small Businesses
- For Profit Organizations
- Points of contact
- Full announcement
Opportunity details come from Grants.gov. Updated .
About this opportunity
The Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is seeking applications for the Fiscal Year 2025 Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator program. The program aims to address the lack of private investment available to commercialize research and development in the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, with the goal of reducing U.S. reliance on imported materials and technologies. Eligible applicants are for-profit entities, including small businesses, and the program is structured as cooperative agreements. Three topic areas are available: crystalline silicon module manufacturing, cadmium telluride PV, and non-module solar hardware. Proposals will be evaluated based on factors such as technical merit, team capabilities, and community benefits. Key dates include an informational webinar on January 23, 2025, a concept paper deadline of March 21, 2025, and a full application deadline of May 30, 2025.
The SMASH Incubator program has a total funding level of $20 million, with individual awards ranging from $1-4 million and project periods of 18-36 months. Work is expected to be performed at recipient facilities or field sites within the United States.
Synopsis
SMASH Incubator seeks to address the lack of sufficient private investment that is available to successfully commercialize the output of research, development, and demonstration activities and bring innovative solar photovoltaic (PV) technology to market. Specifically, projects funded through this NOFO will encourage innovations in solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing across the supply chain, with the aim of reducing U.S. reliance on imported materials and technologies. This NOFO also encourages the development of new solar hardware and technology for domestic use and potential export. These activities are expected to deliver jobs and economic growth in the clean energy sector, while increasing national energy security. Topic Area 1 seeks to conduct early-stage pilot-scale testing and demonstration of innovative processes or products that can substantively increase domestic manufacturing in all segments of the crystalline silicon solar module supply chain. Each segment also includes the manufacturing equipment used in that segment, input materials for that segment, process control and characterization tools, and consumables used in that segment, which today are predominantly made outside the United States. Topic Area 2 aims to support the cadmium telluride (CdTe) PV industry, an increasingly valuable part of the U.S. economy and leading domestic renewable energy technology. All segments of the CdTe PV module supply chain are of interest, including improvements in materials, processes, manufacturing, components, metrology, demonstration, recycling, and reclamation. Topic Area 3 is focused on R & D and demonstration activities with the goal of de-risking new non-module PV components and manufacturing processes, while developing and validating a realistic pathway to commercial success. This includes structural and electrical components and tools that can be made domestically and improve performance, functionality, reliability, or ease of installation for PV systems.
Files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| DE-FOA-0003460 Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator.pdf |
On GovTribe
Work this opportunity
- Track it in your pipeline
- Find teaming partners
- Similar grant opportunities
- Ask GovTribe AI about this opportunity