The Energy Department plans to award $99 million in fiscal year 2018 funds to Energy Frontier Research Centers.
DOE said Monday it will open another funding competition for institutions that aim to establish new EFRCs as well as existing EFRCs that seek continued DOE support.
The department’s Office of Basic Energy Sciences launched the EFRC program in 2009 in an effort to accelerate the discovery of “transformative” energy technologies.
DOE currently supports 36 EFRCs, including 32 centers that received four-year funding set to expire in July 2018.
The department will accept proposals from universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations and private firms, and is encouraging interested participants to partner with other institutions to create multi-disciplinary research teams.
Selected centers could receive $2 million to $4 million in annual funds for a total of four fiscal years.
DOE could award $99 million per year over a four-year period, subject to congressional appropriations.
