Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003162
The Pioneering Railroad, Oceanic and Plane Electrification with 1K Energy Storage Systems (PROPEL-1K) opportunity is an ARPA-E funding program from the U.S. Department of Energy aimed at breaking through one of the biggest barriers to decarbonizing heavy transportation: the lack of energy storage systems that are light and compact enough for aircraft, ships, and some rail applications. While today s batteries work reasonably well for many passenger vehicles, they run into hard limits when you try to electrify platforms that need to carry large amounts of energy over long distances without adding excessive mass or volume. PROPEL-1K is built around the idea that incremental battery improvements are not enough for these sectors, so ARPA-E is looking for high risk, high reward approaches that could create entirely new performance and cost trajectories.
The program is motivated by emissions and energy demand trends. Transportation accounts for roughly 29 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, and although light duty vehicles represent the largest share of transportation emissions, a substantial portion comes from segments that are much harder to electrify, including long distance trucking, aviation, rail, and maritime. In parallel, global energy consumption is projected to rise significantly by mid century, and meeting net zero goals will require multiple technology pathways. ARPA-E s view, reflected in the FOA text, is that broad electrification is essential but will only be practical in aviation, ocean shipping, and related modes if energy storage moves far beyond what conventional electrochemical batteries and even many next generation concepts are expected to deliver.
Technically, PROPEL-1K targets energy storage systems that can reach 1000 watt hours per kilogram and 1000 watt hours per liter, described as 1K technologies. Importantly, those targets are set at the net energy storage system level, not just at the material or cell level, and they are specified at end of life, meaning the system should still meet the performance bar after degradation over time. ARPA-E frames this as an effort to achieve more than a 4x improvement over state of the art options for the relevant use cases. The scope includes electrochemical and or chemical energy storage solutions, but explicitly emphasizes approaches that do not require hydrocarbon based fuels, whether fossil or synthetic. The FOA also signals strong interest in concepts that are not simply extensions of mainstream battery thinking or short term industry roadmaps, which is consistent with ARPA-E s mission to fund transformative R and D rather than incremental optimization.
From an applicant and award structure perspective, this is a discretionary funding opportunity issued under ARPA-E s statutory authority (42 U.S.C. 16538) and governed by federal assistance rules (2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910). Awards are expected to be made as cooperative agreements and or other instruments, which usually means ARPA-E anticipates active programmatic involvement during the project period. The posted opportunity information indicates an award ceiling of up to $5,000,000 per award, with around 15 awards expected (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0003162, CFDA 81.135). The activity category is research and development in science and technology, and eligibility is described broadly as "Others," with the FOA itself providing the definitive details on who can apply and under what conditions.
The application process is tightly tied to ARPA-E s online portal. Applicants must access the full Funding Opportunity Announcement on the ARPA-E FOA site and must submit required materials through ARPA-E eXCHANGE; submissions sent by other means will not be reviewed. The opportunity listing provides pointers to the eXCHANGE registration page and the eXCHANGE user guide for step by step instructions. For technical issues with the portal, applicants are directed to contact ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov and include the FOA name and number in the email subject line. For questions about the FOA itself, ARPA-E directs applicants first to its FAQ page and then, if needed, to email ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov. The original posting indicates a creation date of September 5, 2023 and an original closing date of October 17, 2023, which matters for timing if someone is looking at the announcement historically or checking whether ARPA-E has reissued, amended, or replaced it.
Overall, PROPEL-1K is best understood as an ARPA-E push to make electrification plausible in the hardest transportation sectors by backing radically higher energy density storage at the full system level, with performance that holds up through end of life operation and without leaning on hydrocarbon fuels. The agency is essentially inviting teams to propose new storage architectures, chemistries, and system concepts that could be disruptive if they work, even if they start out expensive, unproven, or far from commercial readiness.Apply for DE FOA 0003162
- The Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy in the opportunity zone benefits, science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Pioneering Railroad, Oceanic and Plane Electrification with 1K Energy Storage Systems (Propel-1K)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.135.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 05, 2023.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 17, 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 $5,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 15 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: Others (see text field entitled Additional Information on Eligibility for clarification).
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PROPEL-1K (DE-FOA-0003162) Grant Opportunity FAQs
What is the PROPEL-1K opportunity?
PROPEL-1K stands for "Pioneering Railroad, Oceanic and Plane Electrification with 1K Energy Storage Systems." It is an ARPA-E funding program from the U.S. Department of Energy focused on developing radically higher-performance energy storage systems to enable electrification in hard-to-decarbonize heavy transportation modes.
Which agency is running this program?
The program is run by ARPA-E (Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy) within the U.S. Department of Energy.
What problem is PROPEL-1K trying to solve?
The program targets one of the biggest barriers to decarbonizing heavy transportation: the lack of energy storage systems that are light and compact enough for aircraft, ships, and some rail applications. Existing battery technologies can work well for many passenger vehicles, but they become constrained by mass and volume for platforms that must carry large amounts of energy over long distances.
Why is ARPA-E focusing on heavy transportation?
Transportation accounts for about 29 percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. While light-duty vehicles are the largest share, substantial emissions also come from segments that are harder to electrify, including aviation, rail, and maritime. ARPA-E highlights that broad electrification is essential for net-zero goals, but it requires major advances in energy storage for these specific modes.
What does "1K" mean in PROPEL-1K?
"1K technologies" refers to energy storage systems targeting both 1000 watt-hours per kilogram (Wh/kg) and 1000 watt-hours per liter (Wh/L).
Are the 1000 Wh/kg and 1000 Wh/L targets measured at the cell level or the full system level?
The targets are set at the net energy storage system level, not just at the materials or cell level. In other words, the full system must achieve the performance goals, not merely a laboratory-scale component.
Do the performance targets need to be met at end of life?
Yes. The FOA specifies the targets at end of life, meaning the system should still meet the 1K performance bar after degradation over time.
How much of an improvement is ARPA-E looking for versus current technology?
ARPA-E frames PROPEL-1K as aiming for more than a 4x improvement over state-of-the-art options for relevant use cases.
What types of technologies are in scope?
The scope includes electrochemical and/or chemical energy storage solutions, with an emphasis on approaches that go beyond incremental improvements and could create entirely new performance and cost trajectories.
Are hydrocarbon-based fuels allowed under this program?
The FOA explicitly emphasizes approaches that do not require hydrocarbon-based fuels, whether fossil or synthetic.
Is ARPA-E looking for incremental battery improvements?
No. The program is built around the idea that incremental improvements are not enough for aviation, ocean shipping, and certain rail applications. ARPA-E signals strong interest in high-risk, high-reward concepts that are not simply extensions of mainstream battery thinking or short-term industry roadmaps.
What is the Funding Opportunity Number and CFDA number for PROPEL-1K?
The Funding Opportunity Number is DE-FOA-0003162, and the CFDA number is 81.135.
What is the activity category for this opportunity?
The listed activity category is research and development in science and technology.
What is the maximum award amount per project?
The posted opportunity information indicates an award ceiling of up to $5,000,000 per award.
How many awards does ARPA-E expect to make?
The opportunity listing indicates approximately 15 awards are expected.
What type of award instrument will ARPA-E use?
Awards are expected to be made as cooperative agreements and/or other instruments. Cooperative agreements typically indicate that ARPA-E anticipates active programmatic involvement during the project period.
What legal and regulatory authorities govern this funding opportunity?
This is a discretionary funding opportunity issued under ARPA-E's statutory authority (42 U.S.C. 16538) and governed by federal assistance rules under 2 C.F.R. Part 200 as supplemented by 2 C.F.R. Part 910.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described broadly as "Others" in the opportunity listing. The FOA itself is the definitive source for eligibility details, including who can apply and under what conditions.
Where can applicants find the full Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)?
Applicants must access the full FOA on the ARPA-E FOA site. The listing points applicants to ARPA-E eXCHANGE resources for registration and submission guidance.
How do you submit an application?
Required materials must be submitted through ARPA-E eXCHANGE. Submissions sent by other means will not be reviewed.
What is ARPA-E eXCHANGE?
ARPA-E eXCHANGE is ARPA-E's online portal used for submitting required application materials for this funding opportunity.
Where can applicants get help with eXCHANGE registration and step-by-step submission instructions?
The opportunity listing points to the eXCHANGE registration page and the eXCHANGE user guide for step-by-step instructions.
Who should applicants contact for technical problems with the eXCHANGE portal?
For technical issues, applicants are directed to contact ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov and include the FOA name and number in the email subject line.
Who should applicants contact with questions about the FOA content?
Applicants are directed first to ARPA-E's FAQ page and then, if needed, to email ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov.
When was this opportunity originally posted, and what was the original closing date?
The listing indicates a creation date of September 5, 2023 and an original closing date of October 17, 2023. This matters if someone is viewing the announcement historically or checking whether ARPA-E has amended, reissued, or replaced it.
Does the program focus on aviation only?
No. PROPEL-1K is aimed at heavy transportation modes where energy storage mass and volume are major constraints, including aircraft, ships (oceanic/maritime), and some rail applications.
What kind of projects is ARPA-E trying to attract through PROPEL-1K?
ARPA-E is inviting teams to propose new storage architectures, chemistries, and system concepts that could be disruptive if successful, even if they are initially expensive, unproven, or far from commercial readiness.
Why does the FOA emphasize "net" energy storage system performance?
The emphasis on net system-level performance reflects ARPA-E's focus on practical electrification: the total integrated system must be light and compact enough for the target platforms, not just an isolated material or cell tested under ideal conditions.
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