AGENCY: Department of Energy (DOE)/Office of Science (OS)/Office of Basic Energy Sciences (OBES)

PROGRAM: Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC)

OBJECTIVES: This program supports the creation of Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) to accelerate the rate of scientific breakthroughs needed to create advanced energy technologies for the 21st century. The EFRCs will pursue the fundamental understanding necessary to meet the global need for abundant, clean, and economical energy. EFRCs will bring together the skills and talents of multiple investigators to enable fundamental research of a scope and complexity that would not be possible with the standard individual investigator or small group research project. As such, the EFRCs will strengthen and complement the existing portfolio of the single Principal Investigator and small group research projects currently supported within Basic Energy Sciences (BES) core research areas. Proposed research should address one or more of the energy challenges described in the following BES workshop reports(http://sc.doe.gov/bes/reports/list.html): (1) Basic Research Needs to Assure a Secure Future, (2) Basic Research Needs for the Hydrogen Economy, (3) Basic Research Needs for Solar Energy Utilization, (4) Basic Research Needs for Superconductivity, (5) Basic Research Needs for Solid-State Lighting, (6) Basic Research Needs for Advanced Nuclear Energy Systems, (7) Basic Research Needs for Clean and Efficient Combustion of 21st Century Transportation Fuels; (8) Basic Research Needs for Geosciences: (9) Facilitating 21st Century Systems, (10) Basic Research Needs for Electrical Energy Storage, (11) Basic Research Needs for Materials Under Extreme Environments, (12) Basic Research Needs: Catalysis for Energy.

ELIGIBILITY RESTRICTIONS: A specific entity may not submit more than three applications as the prime applicant. However, there is no limitation on the number of applications in which a specific entity participates as a team member/subcontractor. The EFRC Director is the lead Principal Investigator and must be employed by the lead institution. An individual may not be named as the EFRC Director on more than one application. However, there is no restriction on the number of applications an individual may submit as a Principal Investigator.

DEADLINES:
BU Internal Deadline: June 3, 2008
Letter of Intent (optional): July 1, 2008
Application Deadline: October 1, 2008

FUNDING INFORMATION: The EFRC awards are expected to be in the $2–5 million range annually for an initial five-year project period. It is anticipated that approximately $100 million will be available annually for multiple EFRC awards starting in FY 2009. 

AGENCY CONTACT:
Emiela M. Bradford
Office of Basic Energy Research
Office of Science
Department of Energy
telephone: (630) 252-6156
fax: (630) 252-5045
email: emiela.bradford@ch.doe.gov
Web: http://www.sc.doe.gov/grants/grants.html