Renewable Energy Research and Development
Active
- Assistance listing
- 81.087
- Agency
-
Department of Energy
- Grant awards
- 4,992 $9,979,687,159 in federal obligations
Program facts
- Also known as
- Renewable Energy
- Assistance types
-
- Cooperative Agreement
- Project Grant
- Formula Grant
- Block Grant
- Treasury account
-
- 89-0321-0-1-270
- More information
Program details come from SAM.gov Assistance Listings. Updated . Grant award figures come from USAspending.gov.
About this program
The Department of Energy, operating through multiple component offices, funds balanced research and development in renewable energy technologies including solar, biomass, hydrogen and fuel cells, wind, hydropower, and geothermal under CFDA 81.087, with the most recent award dated July 1, 2027.
The program disburses funding across a diverse portfolio spanning technology development, pilot and demonstration projects, workforce education, and community-scale renewable installations. Recent awards reflect concentration in solar photovoltaic systems (both ground-mounted and floating installations), marine and wave energy devices, hydropower modernization and flexibility upgrades, geothermal measurement tools, biomass conversion pathways, and integrated microgrids serving tribal and municipal facilities. Awards also support training programs, curriculum development, and accelerator initiatives for renewable energy startups. Assistance comprises predominantly Cooperative Agreements (55 percent, 2,768 awards) and Project Grants (44 percent, 2,187 awards), with smaller shares of Formula and Block Grants.
The Department of Energy proper (across all component offices) has obligated $5.32 billion in federal dollars across 3,138 awards since 1986. The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy accounts for $4.43 billion across 1,689 awards, while the Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs has funded $187.2 million across 158 awards focused on tribal energy development. Combined federal and non-federal dollars obligated total $18.97 billion, indicating substantial recipient cost-share or leveraged capital. Award volume peaked in 2024 at 206 grants annually; 2026 activity dropped to 17 awards through October, with only one award recorded in 2027 to date.
Recent awards exemplify program scope: a $5 million project to develop 3D-printed bio-based homes addressing labor shortages and affordable housing; waste-to-fuel feasibility studies in the Rio Grande Valley ($935,190); kelp-waste-to-ethanol bioconversion ($1.07 million); seaweed-derived medium-chain fatty acids for import-substitution chemical feedstocks ($1.68 million); tribal solar and wind microgrids in Alaska ($2.96 million and $3.82 million respectively); floating photovoltaic systems for municipal facilities ($800 thousand to $5 million range); hydropower flexibility via hydrogen hybridization ($6.47 million); and concentrated solar thermal with geological energy storage ($18.46 million). Two mega-awards target industrial decarbonization: brewery process heat via concentrated solar thermal at $14.97 million and concentrated solar thermal with geological storage at $18.46 million.
Multiple solicitations remain open. DE-FOA-0003647 (Accelerating Scale-up and Pre-piloting of Emerging Chemical Technologies, due December 1, 2026) seeks bench-to-pilot-scale advancement of chemical production from alternative and waste feedstocks, with a stage-gated structure and eligibility spanning higher education, nonprofits, for-profit entities, and tribal governments; Modification 000002 updated market-size thresholds and clarified waste definitions. DE-FOA-0003548 (Unleashing Tribal Energy Development, closed July 24, 2026) allocated $50 million for tribal energy asset construction and pre-development activities across three topic areas. DE-FOA-0003472 (Next-Generation Geothermal Field Tests, due May 14, 2026) supported field-scale testing and exploration drilling for next-generation geothermal prospects. DE-FOA-0003415 (U.S. Wave Energy Open Water Testing, due January 30, 2025) opened a $112.5 million, five-year opportunity across three application scales (distributed, community, and utility) for accelerating wave energy commercialization.
Objective and description
- Objective
The goal of this program has been to conduct balanced research and development efforts in the following energy technologies: solar, biomass, hydrogen and fuel cells, wind, hydropower, and geothermal. Grants and cooperative agreements will be offered
- Description
This Assistance Listing is used to provide funding to conduct balanced, long-term research in renewable energy technologies.
Eligibility
- Applicant eligibility
For-profit organizations, private nonprofit institutions/organizations, intrastate, interstate, and local agencies and universities may apply.
- Beneficiary eligibility
For-profit organizations, private nonprofit institutions/organizations, intrastate, interstate, State and local agencies and universities will benefit.
- Uses of assistance
Assistance may be used to develop and transfer renewable energy technologies to the scientific and industrial communities, State, and local governments.
- Length and time phasing of assistance
Award project periods range from 1 to 3 years.
How to apply
- Preapplication coordination
The cost principles and award regulations that apply to this program are contained in 2 CFR 200 as adopted and amended by 2 CFR 910. Application due dates will be posted in the individual Notices of Funding Opportunities posted at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/ and http://www.grants.gov.
- Criteria for selecting proposals
Selection will be based on an objective merit review, program policy factors, the availability of funds, provisions of appropriation laws, reports, and as otherwise specified in specific solicitation document(s) at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/.
- Award procedure
All applications which pass an initial review will receive an objective merit review. The objective merit review will be based on evaluation criteria set forth in the competitive solicitation(s) or criteria set forth in 2 CFR Part 200 as adopted and amended by 2 CFR 910. Evaluations will be conducted by Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (CMEI) program personnel at DOE Headquarters in Washington, DC. This responsibility may also be delegated to DOE Field Offices. Final decisions will be made by the CMEI Assistant Secretary, Deputy Assistant Secretaries, and the Director of the Federal Energy Management Program.
- Time to approval or disapproval
60 to 180 days
- Renewals
Grants and/or cooperative agreements may be modified or extended. Renewals are subject to review by the headquarters program office and subject to the availability of funds.
- Appeals
Unsuccessful applicants are entitled to a debriefing by DOE program officials with a clear explanation of why the proposal was not accepted for funding.
Grant opportunities
Show 40 more
Latest 50 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Grant awards
Latest 10 of 4,992 listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Top recipients by federal obligations
| Rank | Recipient | Federal obligations | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University Of Utah | $328,973,714 | 3% |
| 2 | Oregon State University | $209,369,184 | 2% |
| 3 | Abengoa Bioenergy Biomass Of Kansas, LLC | $174,595,800 | 2% |
| 4 | Plug Power Inc. | $113,391,806 | 1% |
| 5 | American Institute Of Chemical Engineers | $112,987,777 | 1% |
| 6 | Avapco LLC | $107,470,329 | 1% |
| 7 | University Of California, LOS Angeles | $97,821,189 | 1% |
| 8 | Bluefire Ethanol Fuels, Inc. | $92,565,178 | 1% |
| 9 | Arizona State University | $91,033,778 | 1% |
| 10 | Electric Power Research Institute Inc. | $84,793,428 | 1% |
10 of 1,806 recipients listed here. See the rest on GovTribe.
Federal obligations by fiscal year
| Fiscal year | Federal obligations |
|---|---|
| FY2026 | -$152,925,561 |
| FY2025 | $369,135,023 |
| FY2024 | $1,078,757,318 |
| FY2023 | $437,332,516 |
| FY2022 | $294,956,913 |
| FY2021 | $359,269,287 |
| FY2020 | $486,365,356 |
| FY2019 | $366,951,070 |
| FY2018 | $255,014,510 |
| FY2017 | $403,540,869 |
| FY2016 | $264,482,831 |
| FY2015 | -$105,716,786 |
| FY2014 | $152,064,367 |
| FY2013 | $324,854,017 |
| FY2012 | $204,035,111 |
| FY2011 | $679,791,758 |
| FY2010 | $3,052,134,220 |
| FY2009 | $851,947,869 |
| FY2008 | $353,366,455 |
| FY2007 | $212,778,005 |
| FY2006 | $214,877,645 |
| FY2005 | $219,016,354 |
| FY2004 | $181,661,933 |
| FY2003 | $135,085,754 |
| FY2002 | $107,265,195 |
| FY2001 | $82,446,787 |
Show all 26
Quick answers
What is Assistance Listing 81.087?
Assistance Listing 81.087 is Renewable Energy Research and Development, a federal grant program run by Department of Energy.
What is the CFDA number for Renewable Energy Research and Development?
Its CFDA number is 81.087: Assistance Listing numbers were called CFDA numbers before 2018.
How much funding has Assistance Listing 81.087 awarded?
4,992 grant awards under 81.087 have obligated $9,979,687,159 in federal funds to 1,806 recipients.
Who receives the most funding from 81.087?
The recipients obligated the most under Renewable Energy Research and Development are University Of Utah ($328,973,714), Oregon State University ($209,369,184) and Abengoa Bioenergy Biomass Of Kansas, LLC ($174,595,800).
How much did 81.087 obligate in fiscal year 2025?
Grants under 81.087 obligated $369,135,023 in federal funds in fiscal year 2025.
Are there open grant opportunities under 81.087?
1 of the latest 50 opportunities under 81.087 is open or forecasted. The latest, Accelerating Scale-up and Pre-piloting of Emerging Chemical Technologies (ASPECT), was posted on September 4, 2026.
On GovTribe
See this program's full record
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