Community Geothermal Heating and Cooling Design and Deployment | DE FOA 0002632

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002632

The Department of Energy (DOE), through its Golden Field Office, released a discretionary funding opportunity titled "Community Geothermal Heating and Cooling Design and Deployment" (Funding Opportunity Number: DE-FOA-0002632; CFDA: 81.087). The program is built around the Biden Administration's broader clean energy and climate targets, including reaching carbon pollution-free electricity by 2035 and putting the United States on a path to net-zero, economy-wide greenhouse gas emissions by no later than 2050. A central theme of the opportunity is pairing climate action with equity by ensuring environmental justice and meaningful inclusion of underserved communities as the country expands clean energy infrastructure and jobs.

At its core, the FOA is meant to help form and support U.S.-based community coalitions that can move beyond planning and into real-world deployment of community-scale geothermal heating and cooling. The intent is not simply to study geothermal potential, but to develop, design, and install systems that measurably reduce emissions by replacing or cutting reliance on fossil-fuel-based heating and cooling in homes and businesses. DOE frames this as part of its research, development, demonstration, and deployment approach, emphasizing practical projects that can be implemented, operated, and replicated.

A key performance requirement is that funded projects must result in community geothermal heating and cooling systems that supply at least 25 percent of a community's total heating demand, or total combined heating and cooling demand, depending on how the community defines its needs. The target communities are those where existing heating or heating and cooling fuel use is contributing to higher greenhouse gas emissions, meaning the opportunity is designed to deliver tangible emissions reductions where they are most needed and where switching to geothermal can make a noticeable difference in local air quality and climate impact.

Funding is provided through cooperative agreements, which typically means DOE expects an active partnership role during the project period rather than a hands-off grant. The maximum award amount listed is $10,000,000, and DOE anticipated making about 10 awards under this announcement. Eligible applicants are described as unrestricted, meaning the competition is broadly open to many types of entities (with the caveat that applicants must still follow any additional eligibility details contained in the full FOA text). The funding activity categories associated with the opportunity include energy, community development, employment and workforce-related efforts, labor and training, and regional development, reflecting that these projects are expected to deliver community-wide benefits beyond energy savings alone, such as local job creation and capacity building.

The opportunity was created on July 12, 2022, and originally closed on October 11, 2022. Overall, the FOA is aimed at accelerating adoption of community geothermal systems at meaningful scale by supporting coalitions that can coordinate stakeholders, design technically sound systems, and carry projects through installation in a way that advances emissions reductions while prioritizing equity and inclusion.

• The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the community development, employment, labor and training, energy, regional development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Community Geothermal Heating and Cooling Design and Deployment" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jul 12, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 11, 2022. (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 $10,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 10 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.

Apply for DE FOA 0002632

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