EERE eXCHANGE: FAQs

Question 1: When an attempt to download an application for FOA # DE-FOA-0000847 from Grants.gov on 7/6/2013 a dialog box appeared stating that this FOA had not yet been posted to Grants.gov. Your posting date was listed as 7/05/2013! So that I was not able to download an application to fill out. Also it was not possible to inquire about the letter of intent.
Answer 1:

The full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is posted on the EERE eXCHANGE website at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov as stated in the description on Grants.gov. Applications must be submitted through the EERE eXCHANGE website to be considered for award. The applicant must first register and create an account on the EERE eXCHANGE website. A User Guide for the EERE eXCHANGE can be found on the EERE website https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx after logging in to the system. Information on where to submit questions regarding submission of letter of intents and applications are found in the full FOA posted on the EERE eXCHANGE website.

Question 2: Marshall HydroThermal is interested in applying for such a grant as the DE-FOA-0000847, however we are powered by the kinetics and thermal differential of deep sea vents, not waves, and hence are many orders of magnitude more energy dense. Can we apply for this grant but be clear that we are not wave powered, or is there another grant that can assist us in implementing our prototype?
Answer 2:

No. DOE is not looking at any resource other than wave powered for this FOA and is intended only to identify possible site locations and evaluate the potential to establish a national wave testing facility within U.S. territorial waters. See Topic Area Information: “Open Water, Fully Energetic Wave Test Facility” in the FOA for more detailed information. Currently there are no other DOE FOAs open that meet the needs stated of deep sea vents.

Question 3: How can we work with the DOE to establish a FOA since Hydrothermal power has vastly more potential than wave power? It is the most energy dense renewable energy source on the planet, with outstanding resources available to the USA just offshore in the PacNW and Hawaii just to name a few.
Answer 3: This FOA is not the mechanism for ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC). See Topic Area Information: “Open Water, Fully Energetic Wave Test Facility” in the FOA for more detailed information. DOE has funded OTEC work in the past and continues to do so. It is recommended to continue watching for open DOE FOAs and look at Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and other funding streams for opportunities at http://energy.gov/public-services/funding-opportunities.

Question 4: I am wondering if my device Sea Electrical Energy Production system is eligible to submit for the Testing Infrastructure Marine Hydrokinetic Funding Opportunity. I am attaching a brief description and image of the device which was issued a US patent in April. It is a land based hydroelectric turbine that uses sea waves to drive the pumps to return the water to the sea.
Answer 4:

This FOA does not provide funding for the testing of devices. It is intended to identify possible site locations and evaluate the potential to establish a national wave testing facility within U.S. territorial waters. See Topic Area Information: “Open Water, Fully Energetic Wave Test Facility” in the FOA for more detailed information. DOE will not accept or review any documents that are not included as part of the established application process. Please note that on page 14 of the FOA it states “DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant.”

Question 5: The Content and Form of Application section of DE-FOA-0000847 states that for the SF 424 A and PMC 123.1 Budget Justification forms “a separate budget for each year of support requested and a cumulative budget for the total project period” are required. Since the period of performance of this FOA is only one year, is it fair to assume that a cumulative budget is not required?
Answer 5: The FOA’s intended Period of Performance is up to 12 months with only one budget period. Essentially, the single budget period costs will be the same as the total cumulative costs on the forms SF424a and PMC 123.1 as the total costs auto-populate. Please find the downloadable documents on the FOA’s main page in Exchange in the section Required Application Documents.

Question 6: The Topic Area Information states “This FOA is intended to identify possible site locations and evaluate the potential to establish a national wave testing facility within U.S. territorial waters.” Since there are already two national wave testing facilities, one in Oregon and one in Hawaii, can you expand on this statement? Are you looking to add new national wave testing facilities at other locations?
Answer 6: Testing capabilities as described in the FOA do not currently exist in the U.S. These capabilities currently do not exist at either the National Marine Renewable Energy Center, located in Hawaii, or the Pacific Marine Energy Center, located in Oregon. Please see SECTION I – FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION, Topic Area Information: Open Water, Fully Energetic Wave Test Facility, which states, “The proposed facility can be new construction or involve the design and modification of an existing facility.”

Question 7: 1. Section III.C (Other Eligibility Requirements). We request verification regarding the Cost Share paragraph when a DOE National Laboratory is proposed as a team member. Is it correct that FFRDC value counts toward the award, and would be part of the project cost in calculating cost share? 2. Section IV.C.4 (Resume File). Appearing after Synergistic Activities, there are two bullets which do not seem related to synergistic activities and for which we request clarification. Regarding the first bullet, where in the resume of key personnel should indication of Principal Investigator (PI) status be made? Regarding the second bullet and multiple PIs, where in the application would indication of multiple PIs be made and the “Coordination and Management Plan” be placed? At the end of the Resume file?
Answer 7:

1. Yes. On page 14 of the FOA it states, “The applicant’s cost share requirement will be based on the total cost of the project, including the applicant’s and the FFRDC contractor’s portions of the effort.”

2. Per section IV.C of the FOA, the Principal Investigator(s) should be indicated in the following application forms; Project Summary/Abstract File and Project Narrative File. For multiple Principal Investigators, the Coordination and Management Plan should be added in the Project Narrative File as stated on page 17, “Role of Participants.”

Question 8: 1. Page 8 states that the wave annual average power density must be greater to or equal than 30 kW/m. We have a site for testing that has very energetic conditions with much greater than 30 kW/m during the winter nearly weekly as the fronts move across the Atlantic Ocean and typically a quiet summer with little wave energy except in tropical events. An example of the variable power is shown in the attachment. Over the 20 years, the annual average power density is 9.2 kW/m. Since there are a wide range of testing wave power density conditions, will this be acceptable? 2. Page 8 states that we must have access & approval for grid interconnection with sufficient line capacity to operate all testing berths simultaneously at rated power. We are proposing to use an existing DOD tower at the offshore test site. We will connect to the power on the tower in Phase I for all four test pads while the approval for land based grid connection is considered and approved. Upon acceptance in Phase II, the platform would be cabled ashore and connected to the existing Dominion Power grid. Will this be acceptable?
Answer 8:

1. Based on your calculations, it appears that your project would not meet the wave annual average power density requirements of ≥ 30 kW/m. However, DOE will not make eligibility determinations for potential applicants prior to the date on which applications to this FOA must be submitted. The decision whether to submit an application in response to this FOA lies solely with the applicant. Also, DOE will not accept or review any documents that are not included as part of the established application process.

2. It is up to the applicant to determine if their project meets the FOA objectives.

Question 9: In the FOA on page 6, it states: “To potentially support the full-scale testing of MHK wave energy devices, the Water Power Program intends to evaluate site locations, designs, and estimated costs for an open water, fully energetic domestic wave test facility. It is expected that a viable grid-connected facility will be capable of testing both scaled prototypes and full-scale (utility-scale) wave energy conversion devices in order to evolve reliable, low cost, renewable energy alternatives to fossil fuel.“ It may not be appropriate to test scale prototypes at an open water, fully energetic wave location. Can you please add some detail to the facility description requirements for testing scaled prototypes? For instance, does DOE want a single location with 4 testing berths to test both full-scale and scaled prototypes or can the scaled prototypes be tested in a different location, say closer to shore? In a sheltered cove? In a wave tank?
Answer 9: DOE is looking for the cost estimate and design of a single location in the open ocean (not sheltered cove or tank environment). The emphasis is expected to be on the testing of full-scale (utility-scale) wave energy conversion devices. Depending on the wave profile, DOE anticipates the site could also support the testing of scaled prototypes during months with less energetic waves. See Section 1, Topic Area Information: “Open Water, Fully Energetic Wave Test Facility” and “Minimum Resources & Infrastructure Requirements” in the FOA for more details regarding the facility description requirements.

Question 10: In the FOA on page 7, it states: “Each application must include organizational participants from a state(s) or university(ies) and at least one DOE National Laboratory.“ Does DOE require proposed team members from states, universities, or DOE National Laboratories to be listed as a recipient or sub-recipient? May they simply be listed as a vendor to the prime recipient as long as their organizational participation is described?
Answer 10: The proposed team must include participants from a state(s) or university(ies) and at least one DOE National Laboratory. The Prime applicant may assemble the team and define the organizational structure as they deem appropriate.

Question 11: Will the deadline for this FOA be extended beyond 8/13/13?
Answer 11:

Yes, DE-FOA-0000847 - Marine and Hydrokinetic (Wave) Testing Infrastructure Development will be extended by two weeks and will now close on 8/27/2013 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.

A modification to the FOA will be issued shortly to reflect the extended due date.

Question 12: Will this FOA apply to testing a prototype device which has been constructed? Or does it only apply to projects which prepare the beach for the testing of these type of devices?
Answer 12:

The FOA will select projects to design a test facility, not actually test a device.

This FOA will fund facility development, not device development or testing.

Question 13: Are questions still being accepted for this FOA?
Answer 13:

Per Section VII- Questions in the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), questions regarding the content of this FOA must be submitted via email to: Testing_Infrastructure_FOA@go.doe.gov no later than 3 business days prior to the application due date. This 3 day period is to ensure we have adequate time to respond and the inquirer has adequate time to incorporate the results of their inquiry into their application before the due date. Therefore, any further questions submitted regarding the content of this FOA may not be answered.

Please note that we at the Testing_Infrastructure_FOA@go.doe.gov mailbox are unable to provide assistance on the Exchange system. Therefore, please contact the Exchange helpdesk (see below) for any questions about the Exchange system or if you are having technical difficulties submitting your application. EERE Exchange: EERE-ExchangeSupport@hq.doe.gov or see the Users’ Guide for Applying to the Department of Energy EERE Funding Opportunity Announcements found at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Manuals.aspx.

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