Carbon Negative Shot Pilots | DE FOA 0003082

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003082

The Carbon Negative Shot Pilots funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0003082) is a U.S. Department of Energy program administered through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) that supports pilot-scale projects aimed at accelerating carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies. The central goal is to broaden and strengthen DOE's existing CDR portfolio by funding real-world pilots that can push promising approaches closer to commercial readiness and, over time, help the United States meet the "Carbon Negative Shot" cost target. That target is to achieve durable CO2 removal, including both capture and storage, at a cost of less than $100 per net metric tonne of CO2-equivalent removed by 2032. In practice, this means the program is looking for projects that not only remove carbon dioxide but also credibly account for the full net removal after emissions and energy use are considered, and that demonstrate pathways to cost reduction at scale.

The opportunity is explicitly technology-inclusive within the CDR space, with examples that include biomass carbon removal and storage, enhanced mineralization, ocean-based CDR pathways, and Direct Air Capture (DAC). While these examples are not presented as an exhaustive list, they signal that DOE is interested in a range of removal methods, especially those that can be piloted, measured, and validated in ways that build confidence in performance, permanence, and environmental integrity. Because the stated focus is on pilots, applicants should expect the government to prioritize demonstrations that generate high-value learning: performance data, measurement and verification approaches, operational experience, and evidence that the technology can move down the cost curve toward the 2032 target.

Funding is offered as a discretionary award using a cooperative agreement, which typically means DOE expects substantial involvement during project execution (for example, collaborative technical oversight, defined milestones, and active federal participation in monitoring progress). The award ceiling is $7,000,000 per award, and the agency anticipates making about 20 awards, suggesting an intent to fund a reasonably broad set of pilots rather than only a small number of large projects. The activity categories are energy and environment, and the CFDA number listed is 81.089. Eligibility is shown as unrestricted, which generally indicates that a wide range of applicant types may apply (such as companies, universities, nonprofits, state and local governments, and others), subject to the specific requirements laid out in the full Funding Opportunity Announcement.

A notable element in the posted description is that this listing reflects Modification 000002 to the Funding Opportunity Announcement. That modification is described as revising language in Section I.D., adding language to Section IV.A., and adding "Letters of Commitment" to Section IV.B.ii. This matters because it implies the application instructions and/or evaluation and submission requirements were updated after the original release. In practical terms, prospective applicants should carefully compare the modified FOA language to earlier versions, since changes to Section IV (often where application and submission information lives) can affect what must be included in the application package, how teaming arrangements are documented, and how partners or host sites confirm their roles. The added emphasis on "Letters of Commitment" indicates DOE wants clearer, more formal evidence that key partners, suppliers, host facilities, offtakers, storage providers, or other critical participants are committed to the proposed pilot and will support execution if the project is selected.

The opportunity was created on February 12, 2024, and the original closing date is listed as April 16, 2024. Anyone considering applying would need to rely on the full FOA, especially Section III (referenced in the description), for details on topic areas, technical scope, technology readiness expectations, required deliverables, cost share rules if any, and the way DOE will judge "net" CO2e removed and overall project value. In short, this program is designed to put more CDR approaches into the field at pilot scale, generate credible data, and accelerate the technologies most likely to deliver verifiable, durable, and affordable carbon removal that can reach under $100 per net tonne CO2e by 2032.

• The National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy, environment sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Carbon Negative Shot Pilots" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.089.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-02-12.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-04-16. (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 $7,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 20 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.

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