DOE Announces Intent to Issue Three New Sustainable Transportation Funding Opportunities

The funding opportunities include a third phase of the SuperTruck program as well as development of low GHG technologies for on- and off-road vehicles.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
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The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) has announced its intent to issue three sustainable transportation technologies funding opportunities in Spring 2021. Kelly Speakes-Backman, Acting Assistant Secretary at EERE, made the announcement during the virtual Work Truck Show 2021 as the funding opportunities could have an impact on the work truck and other similar transportation sectors. 

READ MORE: The Work Truck Show 2021 Daily Update

According to a press release from the DOE, the funding opportunities will seek out innovative research, development, demonstration, and deployment (RDD&D) in the pursuit of technologies that will help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across the transportation sector. 

Per the DOE's press release, the three Notices of Intent include: 

  • Notice of Intent - SuperTruck 3: Improving the vehicle efficiency and safety of freight transportation while minimizing environmental impact is critical to helping the country decrease its petroleum use and reduce emissions as the economy grows. The Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) and the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) are interested in partnering to develop and demonstrate R&D concepts to enable higher efficiency, low-emission medium- and heavy-duty trucks and freight systems. This NOI aims to take advantage of the significant opportunities for the entire freight and truck transportation system to achieve higher efficiency and electrification (battery, hydrogen fuel cell, plug-in hybrid and fuel cell range extenders).
  • Notice of Intent - Low Greenhouse Gas Vehicle Technologies Research, Development, and Deployment: VTO  funds a broad portfolio of RDD&D projects to develop affordable, efficient, and clean transportation options to tackle the climate crisis and accelerate the development and widespread use of a variety of innovative transportation technologies. This NOI will invite innovative solutions for on- and off-road vehicles to support the reduction of emissions and increased efficiencies in the transportation sector. To achieve this, areas that could be explored include community-level electric vehicle (EV) demonstrations, EV infrastructure and charging, and advanced engines and fuels that reduce emissions.
  • Notice of Intent - Bioenergy Technologies Office Scale-Up and Conversion: The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) is focused on developing technologies that convert domestic biomass and other waste resources into low carbon biofuels and bioproducts. These bioenergy technologies can enable a transition to a clean energy economy, create high-quality jobs, support rural economies, and spur innovation in renewable energy and chemicals production—the bioeconomy. This NOI anticipates supporting high-impact technology research, development, and demonstration to bolster the body of scientific and engineering knowledge needed to produce low-carbon biofuels at lower cost. This will involve partnerships with industry to demonstrate these technologies at industrially-relevant scales.

The DOE notes in its press release about the new funding opportunities that it is working to reduce the climate impact of light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles, and the scope of the RDD&D will not be exclusive to one fuel source or vehicle type. By improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions across the entire transportation sector, DOE can help ensure that the benefits of this work are equitably distributed to all Americans.

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