The U.S. Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office (WPTO) recently released a $45 million funding opportunity to advance a comprehensive approach to tidal and current energy development in the United States. This opportunity will make the first large-scale investment in a tidal and/or current energy research, development, and demonstration site in the United States. It will also support a community-led tidal and/or current energy planning and development project.
This funding opportunity will support projects in two topic areas focused on advancing the tidal and current energy industry toward commercialization for utility- and community-scale applications:
- Topic area 1 will provide up to $35 million to support the development of a pilot tidal and/or current energy technology demonstration site in state waters.
- Topic area 2 will provide up to $10 million to support a community-led tidal and/or current energy planning and development project.
The deadlines for concept papers are 5 p.m. ET on June 5, 2023, for topic area 1 and 5 p.m. ET on July 13, 2023, for topic area 2. Applicants must submit a concept paper to be eligible to submit a full application.
WPTO will host an informational webinar at 3 p.m. ET on May 30, 2023, to discuss the funding opportunity and areas of focus. Learn more and register for the webinar here.