The FY25 Phase 1 Release 2 Notice of Funding Opportunity was recently released on 27 December 2024 by the US Department of Energy's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programmes.
Focused on two key topics namely, geothermal heating and cooling, and enhanced geothermal systems, the opportunity helps to support scientific excellence, encourage diversity in research, and stimulate technological innovation. The SBIR/STTR programmes have also launched the DOE Partnering Platform targeted towards innovators who are seeking potential partners to develop and commercialise their technologies by bringing users closer together through a widening network, and offering services like prototyping, testing, certification, and business support.
Topic 1: Geothermal heating and cooling
This opportunity targets ambient temperature geothermal resources and includes the following three research subtopics:
- Low-impact drilling systems for geothermal heat pumps (GHPs): Supports the research, development, and demonstration of advanced drilling systems for GHPs, with a focus on compact, automated, and robotic technologies.
- Rapid site assessments for GHPs: Aims to develop advanced tools for rapid site assessment and screening of GHP installation locations.
- Geothermal heating and cooling for protected agriculture: Focuses on creating affordable geothermal heating solutions for greenhouses and other controlled farming environments to support year-round food production, improve energy efficiency, and reduce fossil fuel use.
Topic 2: Enhanced geothermal applications
This topic focuses on enhancing elastomeric materials used in harsh downhole geothermal environments, particularly in EGS development and high temperatures.
Both topics are now open for applications with Phase 1 expected to focus on proof of concept, and efforts designed to be scalable for subsequent Phase 2 developments. The maximum award amount for Phase 1 is US$200,000 and Phase 2 is US$1.1mn.