Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003107
The Department of Energy (DOE), through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Bioenergy Technology Office, issued this notice as a Request for Information (RFI) rather than a funding solicitation. The opportunity, listed as DE-FOA-0003107 and titled "Zero-Emission Shipping Mission (ZESM): Progression to Net-Zero Emission Fuels State of the Industry," is intended to gather input from across the maritime sector about how the industry is currently approaching the transition to net-zero emission fuels by 2050. The central idea is that decarbonizing shipping is not just a ship-technology issue; it requires coordinated movement across the whole value chain, including feedstock sourcing, fuel production and distribution, vessel and engine design, port infrastructure and operations, safety standards, and the regulatory environment that governs international and domestic shipping.
A major focus of the RFI is the fuel-choice problem. The document highlights that one of the most difficult and regionally complicated questions in maritime decarbonization is which alternative fuels will scale, where, and why. It names several leading candidates that are already central to industry planning and debate: biofuels (including biodiesel, renewable diesel, and bio-intermediates or residuals), renewable natural gas (RNG), methanol, hydrogen, and ammonia. Each option brings different tradeoffs related to lifecycle emissions, cost, scalability, storage and handling requirements, compatibility with existing engines and bunkering systems, safety considerations, and local or regional availability of clean energy and feedstocks. Because these tradeoffs vary by geography, ship type, trade route, and port readiness, the RFI frames fuel selection as a key uncertainty that can slow investment and complicate the creation of aligned global pathways to 2050.
This RFI is tied directly to the Mission Innovation Zero Emission Shipping Mission (ZESM), which the United States co-leads with Norway, Denmark, the Global Maritime Forum, and the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping. ZESM has already produced an Industry Road Map and Action Plan, and DOE is using this RFI to check whether that roadmap still matches real-world industry direction. In practical terms, DOE is asking stakeholders to share what fuel pathways they are prioritizing now, what is driving those choices (for example, policy incentives, customer demand, fuel availability, corporate climate commitments, expected technology maturity, or total cost of ownership), and what barriers are most likely to block progress. The intent is to supplement existing market intelligence, including a Global Maritime Forum survey from 2022 titled "The shipping industry's fuel choices on the path to net zero," which focused largely on shippers and a subset of fuel options. This RFI seeks broader and deeper stakeholder knowledge to help inform ZESM actions going forward.
Importantly, this is not a Funding Opportunity Announcement and it is not offering grants or making awards. It is categorized as "Other" under funding instrument type, shows zero expected awards, and explicitly states that EERE is not accepting applications. Eligibility is effectively unrestricted in the sense that any type of entity can respond, since the goal is to aggregate perspectives from the full maritime ecosystem. The agency administering the RFI is DOE's Golden Field Office, and it is listed under CFDA 81.087 (Energy).
For submission logistics, responses were required to be sent by email to ZESM@ee.doe.gov no later than 5:00 pm Eastern Time on July 14, 2023. DOE required responses to be provided as attachments to the email in Microsoft Word (.docx) format, limited to 10 pages, using 12-point font and 1-inch margins. Only electronic submissions were accepted. The notice also flagged a practical delivery issue: attachments larger than 25 MB were recommended to be compressed (for example, zipped) to help ensure successful email transmission. The full RFI document was made available through EERE Exchange (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov), which is DOE's standard platform for publishing and managing EERE-related solicitations and information requests.
In short, DE-FOA-0003107 was designed to take a temperature check on the shipping sector's evolving fuel strategy for reaching net-zero by 2050, identify what is actually shaping fuel decisions in the market, and surface the most pressing obstacles that need coordinated action. The output DOE is looking for is not proposals for funding, but concrete, experience-based feedback that can help validate or adjust the ZESM Industry Road Map and Action Plan so it stays aligned with how decarbonization is unfolding in real shipping and port operations.Apply for DE FOA 0003107
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Bioenergy Technology Office Request for Information (RFI) DE-FOA-0003107: Zero-Emission Shipping Mission (ZESM): Progression to Net-Zero Emission Fuels State of the Industry" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
- This funding opportunity was created on Jun 01, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 14, 2023. (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 (i.e., open to any type of entity above), subject to any clarification in text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is DE-FOA-0003107 a grant or funding opportunity?
No. This notice is a Request for Information (RFI), not a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). It is intended to collect input and perspectives, not to provide funding.
Will DOE make any awards under this opportunity?
No. The notice indicates zero expected awards and explicitly states that EERE is not accepting applications.
What is the purpose of this RFI?
The purpose is to gather input from across the maritime sector on how the industry is approaching the transition to net-zero emission fuels by 2050, with a focus on current fuel-pathway choices, what drives those choices, and what barriers could block progress.
What is the title and ID of the RFI?
The RFI is listed as DE-FOA-0003107 and titled "Zero-Emission Shipping Mission (ZESM): Progression to Net-Zero Emission Fuels State of the Industry."
Which DOE office issued this RFI?
The Department of Energy (DOE), through the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) Bioenergy Technology Office, issued the notice. The administering office listed is DOE's Golden Field Office.
What program identifier is associated with this notice?
The notice is listed under CFDA 81.087 (Energy).
What is the Zero Emission Shipping Mission (ZESM), and how is this RFI related?
This RFI is tied directly to Mission Innovation's Zero Emission Shipping Mission (ZESM). DOE is using the RFI to check whether the existing ZESM Industry Road Map and Action Plan still match real-world industry direction and to inform future ZESM actions.
Who co-leads ZESM with the United States?
The United States co-leads ZESM with Norway, Denmark, the Global Maritime Forum, and the Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping.
What kinds of input is DOE looking for?
DOE is seeking concrete, experience-based feedback, including: which fuel pathways stakeholders are prioritizing; what is driving those choices (such as policy incentives, customer demand, fuel availability, corporate climate commitments, expected technology maturity, or total cost of ownership); and what barriers are most likely to slow or block progress.
Why does the RFI emphasize the "fuel-choice problem"?
The RFI highlights fuel selection as one of the most difficult and regionally complicated questions in maritime decarbonization because tradeoffs vary by geography, ship type, trade route, and port readiness. This uncertainty can slow investment and complicate alignment toward 2050 goals.
Which alternative fuels are specifically named in the RFI?
The RFI names biofuels (including biodiesel, renewable diesel, and bio-intermediates or residuals), renewable natural gas (RNG), methanol, hydrogen, and ammonia as leading candidates central to industry planning and debate.
What kinds of tradeoffs does DOE mention for alternative fuels?
The RFI notes tradeoffs related to lifecycle emissions, cost, scalability, storage and handling requirements, compatibility with existing engines and bunkering systems, safety considerations, and local or regional availability of clean energy and feedstocks.
Does the RFI treat shipping decarbonization as only a ship-technology issue?
No. The RFI emphasizes that decarbonizing shipping requires coordinated movement across the full value chain, including feedstock sourcing, fuel production and distribution, vessel and engine design, port infrastructure and operations, safety standards, and the regulatory environment for international and domestic shipping.
Who is allowed to respond to this RFI?
Eligibility is effectively unrestricted based on the information provided, since DOE is seeking perspectives from the full maritime ecosystem and any type of entity can respond.
How were responses required to be submitted?
Responses were required to be submitted electronically by email to ZESM@ee.doe.gov, with the response included as an attachment.
What was the submission deadline?
Responses were due no later than 5:00 pm Eastern Time on July 14, 2023.
What file format did DOE require for the response attachment?
DOE required responses to be provided as Microsoft Word (.docx) attachments.
Were there formatting and length requirements for the response?
Yes. Responses were limited to 10 pages and were required to use 12-point font and 1-inch margins.
Were paper submissions accepted?
No. Only electronic submissions were accepted.
What if the email attachment was large?
The notice recommended compressing (for example, zipping) attachments larger than 25 MB to help ensure successful email transmission.
Where could the full RFI document be found?
The full RFI was made available through EERE Exchange at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov.
How does this RFI relate to other market intelligence efforts mentioned?
DOE stated the RFI is intended to supplement existing market intelligence, including a Global Maritime Forum survey from 2022 titled "The shipping industry's fuel choices on the path to net zero," which focused largely on shippers and a subset of fuel options. This RFI seeks broader and deeper stakeholder knowledge.
What is DOE ultimately trying to produce or achieve with the responses?
DOE is not looking for project proposals. The goal is to collect feedback that helps validate or adjust the ZESM Industry Road Map and Action Plan so it remains aligned with how decarbonization is unfolding in real shipping and port operations.
What funding instrument type is shown for this opportunity?
It is categorized as "Other" under funding instrument type, consistent with it being an RFI rather than a funding solicitation.
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