GSP Grants Watch

Funding Source: Department of Energy
Funding Type: Discretionary
Total Available: $50 Million
Award Ceiling: 5 Million
Deadline: 08.16.09
Eligibility: Unrestricted

Description:
With this announcement, The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Geothermal Technologies Program (GTP) will address Section 931(a)(2)(C) of the Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005, which includes authorization to promote the deployment of ground source heat pumps, also known as geothermal heat pumps (GHPs). Funding will be made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Through this FOA, DOE seeks to increase the deployment of ground source heat pumps through new commercialization strategies that incorporate: 1) innovative commercial-scale or residential community technology demonstration projects; 2) data gathering and analysis related to system costs, performance, and installation techniques; and 3) a national GHP certification standard. DOE’s objective is to promote ground source heat pumps via the following three Topic Areas: 1. Technology Demonstration Projects: Mid- or large-scale (i.e. provide 50-100 tons of heating and/or cooling) cost-shared technology demonstration projects that incorporate innovative business and financing strategies and/or technical approaches designed to overcome commercialization barriers that currently exist for GHPs. 2. Data Gathering and Analysis: Data gathering and analysis research papers related to system costs, performance, and installation techniques, which will provide insights into the lowest life-cycle cost applications for GHPs and assist consumers in determining project feasibility. 3. National Certification Standard: A national certification standard for the GHP industry designed to increase consumer confidence in the technology, reduce the potential for improperly installed systems, and assure product quality and performance.