Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003671
The U.S. Department of Energy, through its Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) at the National Energy Technology Laboratory, has released a Request for Information (RFI) titled "Gauging Investor Interest in the Development and Commercialization of Subsurface Energy Technologies" (Funding Opportunity Number DE FOA 0003671). This is not a grant solicitation and not a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO). In practical terms, DOE is not asking for project proposals and is not accepting funding applications under this announcement. Instead, it is collecting feedback to understand what kinds of subsurface energy technologies and deal structures attract private investment, and how DOE expertise and partnership mechanisms could help move these technologies from research into real-world deployment.
The central purpose of the RFI is market sounding. DOE wants input from a broad range of stakeholders, with a particular emphasis on the financial sector, to determine where investor appetite exists for subsurface-energy technologies and what barriers are preventing commercialization. HGEO signals that it may be interested in helping connect private capital and public-private partnership programs to industry opportunities, leveraging its technical depth and research and development capabilities. The underlying idea is to align DOE technical resources with industry and capital needs so that promising subsurface innovations can reach the market faster and with less risk.
The scope spans the Office of Subsurface Energy's three core areas: coal, oil and gas, and geothermal. By explicitly naming these areas, DOE is indicating the RFI is meant to cover a wide set of subsurface-related technologies, not just one niche. Respondents are effectively being asked to share perspectives on which technologies within these domains appear commercially viable, what kinds of pilot and demonstration pathways make sense, what performance or cost targets investors expect, and what non-technical hurdles (such as permitting, offtake certainty, regulatory uncertainty, or data availability) most affect investability.
Eligibility to respond is unrestricted, meaning any organization or individual can provide input, including companies, investors, developers, service providers, universities, national labs, trade associations, state and local entities, and other interested parties. The opportunity is categorized as discretionary and lists the funding instrument type as "Other," but that classification does not imply current funding. Several fields commonly associated with grants, such as an award ceiling and expected awards, appear in the listing; however, the announcement itself clearly states this is only an information request, with no awards anticipated and no applications being accepted at this time.
Key administrative details include a creation date of 2026-09-03 and an original closing date of 2026-10-05. The activity category is Energy and the CFDA (Assistance Listing) number provided is 81.089. Taken together, the announcement functions as a signal that DOE is exploring how to better translate subsurface energy R and D into commercial outcomes by coordinating with investors and industry, and it is using this RFI to shape any future programs, partnership approaches, or potential later-stage funding opportunities that could emerge after DOE reviews stakeholder input.Apply for DE FOA 0003671
- The National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request for Information - Gauging Investor Interest in the Development and Commercialization of Subsurface Energy Technologies" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.089.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-09-03.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-10-05. (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 $2.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1) What is this DOE opportunity (DE FOA 0003671) in plain terms?
This announcement is a Request for Information (RFI) titled "Gauging Investor Interest in the Development and Commercialization of Subsurface Energy Technologies" (Funding Opportunity Number DE FOA 0003671). It is a market-sounding effort by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to gather feedback, not a request for project proposals.
2) Is this a grant or a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)?
No. DOE states that this is not a grant solicitation and not a NOFO. In practical terms, DOE is not accepting funding applications under this announcement.
3) Can I submit a project proposal or apply for funding under this RFI?
No. The announcement indicates DOE is collecting information and feedback only. It explicitly notes that no awards are anticipated and no applications are being accepted at this time.
4) What is DOE trying to learn from this RFI?
DOE is seeking input to understand what subsurface energy technologies and deal structures attract private investment, what barriers are preventing commercialization, and how DOE expertise and partnership mechanisms could help move these technologies from research into real-world deployment.
5) Which DOE office is issuing the RFI?
The RFI is issued by the U.S. Department of Energy through its Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL).
6) What technology areas are included in the scope?
The scope spans the Office of Subsurface Energy's three core areas: coal, oil and gas, and geothermal. DOE is signaling that the RFI is intended to cover a wide set of subsurface-related technologies across these domains.
7) Who is DOE especially interested in hearing from?
DOE wants input from a broad range of stakeholders, with particular emphasis on the financial sector. The RFI is designed to gauge investor appetite and identify what makes subsurface energy opportunities investable.
8) Who is eligible to respond?
Eligibility is unrestricted. Any organization or individual may provide input, including companies, investors, developers, service providers, universities, national labs, trade associations, state and local entities, and other interested parties.
9) What kinds of feedback is DOE asking respondents to provide?
Based on the announcement description, respondents are being asked to share perspectives on topics such as:
- Which subsurface-energy technologies appear commercially viable within coal, oil and gas, and geothermal
- What pilot and demonstration pathways make sense to reach deployment
- What performance or cost targets investors expect
- What non-technical hurdles most affect investability (for example: permitting, offtake certainty, regulatory uncertainty, or data availability)
- What kinds of deal structures and partnership mechanisms attract private capital
- How DOE technical depth and R&D capabilities could reduce risk and accelerate commercialization
10) What does DOE mean by "market sounding" in this context?
It means DOE is gathering market and investor feedback to understand where private capital is interested in subsurface energy technologies and what obstacles are slowing commercialization, so DOE can better align its technical resources and partnership tools with real market needs.
11) Does the listing's "discretionary" category and instrument type "Other" mean funding is available now?
No. Although the opportunity is categorized as discretionary and lists the funding instrument type as "Other," the announcement itself states it is only an information request. The classification does not imply current funding availability.
12) Why do some grant-like fields (such as award ceiling or expected awards) appear if this is only an RFI?
The listing includes several fields commonly associated with grants, but the RFI language clarifies that DOE is not soliciting applications and no awards are anticipated. The presence of those fields does not change the RFI's purpose as an information-gathering announcement.
13) What kinds of commercialization barriers does DOE highlight?
The announcement specifically points to non-technical hurdles that can affect investability, including permitting challenges, offtake certainty, regulatory uncertainty, and data availability.
14) What is DOE suggesting it might do after reviewing responses?
DOE indicates the RFI may shape future programs, partnership approaches, or potential later-stage funding opportunities. The intent is to help translate subsurface energy R&D into commercial outcomes by coordinating with investors and industry after DOE reviews stakeholder input.
15) Is DOE trying to connect private capital with public-private partnership programs?
Yes. HGEO signals interest in helping connect private capital and public-private partnership programs to industry opportunities, leveraging DOE's technical depth and research and development capabilities.
16) What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The activity category is Energy.
17) What is the CFDA (Assistance Listing) number for this announcement?
The CFDA (Assistance Listing) number provided is 81.089.
18) What are the key dates listed for the RFI?
The listing includes a creation date of 2026-09-03 and an original closing date of 2026-10-05.
19) What should respondents keep in mind when deciding whether to participate?
Respondents should treat this as an opportunity to influence DOE's understanding of investor interest and commercialization needs in subsurface energy technologies, not as a pathway to submit a funding application under this specific announcement.
20) What is the official title of the RFI?
The RFI is titled "Gauging Investor Interest in the Development and Commercialization of Subsurface Energy Technologies."
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Energy
Previous opportunity: Trauma Care Readiness and Coordination Cooperative Agreement
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for DE FOA 0003671
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (DE FOA 0003671) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| Accelerating Scale-up and Pre-piloting of Emerging Chemical Technologies (ASPECT) Apply for DE FOA 0003647 Funding Number: DE FOA 0003647 Agency: Golden Field Office Category: Energy Funding Amount: $20,000,000 |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "DE FOA 0003671", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.