Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0001649
The Solar Forecasting II Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), number DE-FOA-0001649, is a U.S. Department of Energy opportunity administered through the DOE Golden Field Office. It is a discretionary funding program in the energy category (CFDA 81.087) and uses a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument, which typically means DOE expects substantial involvement during the period of performance, such as active technical engagement, oversight, coordination, or collaboration as the project progresses rather than a more hands-off grant structure.
The central aim of this FOA is to advance solar forecasting capabilities so that the electric grid can support higher levels of solar power deployment at the lowest practical overall cost. As solar generation becomes a larger share of total electricity supply, the financial and operational consequences of forecast errors grow. When operators misjudge how much solar power will be available, they often have to compensate in real time by redispatching other generators, holding additional reserves, or committing units earlier than necessary. Those actions create additional balancing, dispatch, and unit commitment costs, and the FOA is explicitly focused on reducing those costs by improving the accuracy, speed, and usability of forecasting.
The opportunity emphasizes several linked technical and operational needs. First is advancement in forecasting science itself, meaning better methods for predicting solar power output, likely through improved modeling of weather and cloud dynamics, better interpretation of observations, and tighter coupling between meteorological forecasts and power-output models. Second is rapid execution of forecasting models, reflecting the operational reality that grid operators need forecasts produced quickly enough to be useful for short-term decisions and continuously updated as conditions change. Third is seamless integration of forecasting tools into electric system operations, pointing to a practical, deployment-oriented focus: a forecast that is accurate but difficult to use, poorly timed, or not compatible with operator workflows and systems does not deliver full value. The FOA is therefore oriented not only toward research improvements but also toward implementation pathways that make forecasts actionable within operational planning and real-time grid management.
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning it is open to any type of entity, with the caveat that applicants must follow any additional eligibility clarifications provided in the FOA text. A key process requirement is that only applicants who submitted an eligible concept paper by December 30, 2016 were allowed to submit a full application, making the concept paper an initial gatekeeping step rather than an optional preliminary submission. The original closing date for the full application was March 24, 2017, and the FOA was created on November 14, 2016. The listed award ceiling is 2 (as provided in the source data), and the expected number of awards is shown as 0 in the dataset, which can reflect a placeholder, later updates, or reporting fields that do not always mirror final selections.
Overall, this FOA is best understood as a grid-integration and cost-reduction effort focused on making solar power easier and cheaper to operate at scale. It targets the real-world operational impacts of variability and uncertainty in solar generation by funding improvements that reduce forecast error and, just as importantly, ensure those improved forecasts can run fast and fit cleanly into the tools and decision processes used by power system operators.Apply for DE FOA 0001649
- The Department of Energy, Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Solar Forecasting II Funding Opportunity Announcement" 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 Nov 14, 2016.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Mar 24, 2017 Only applicants who have submitted an eligible Concept Paper by 12/30/2016 will be eligible to submit a Full Application.. (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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Solar Forecasting II (DE-FOA-0001649) FAQ
What is the Solar Forecasting II Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA)?
Solar Forecasting II is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) discretionary funding opportunity (FOA number DE-FOA-0001649) focused on improving solar power forecasting so electric grid operators can reliably support higher levels of solar deployment at the lowest practical overall cost.
Which DOE office administers this opportunity?
The opportunity is administered through the DOE Golden Field Office.
What is the primary goal of this FOA?
The central goal is to advance solar forecasting capabilities to reduce the operational and financial impacts of solar forecast errors on the electric grid. Better forecasts help operators make more efficient decisions about dispatch, reserves, and unit commitment, lowering balancing and operating costs.
Why is DOE emphasizing solar forecasting in this FOA?
As solar generation becomes a larger share of electricity supply, forecast errors become more costly and more operationally significant. When operators misjudge available solar output, they often need to compensate quickly by redispatching other generators, holding extra reserves, or committing units earlier than needed. This FOA targets improvements that reduce those downstream costs.
What kinds of problems does improved forecasting help reduce?
The FOA is explicitly concerned with reducing additional balancing, dispatch, and unit commitment costs that arise when actual solar output differs from forecasts and operators must respond in real time or commit resources in advance to manage uncertainty.
What is the funding category and CFDA number?
This is an energy-category discretionary funding program listed under CFDA 81.087.
What type of funding instrument is used?
The FOA uses a cooperative agreement. This typically means DOE expects substantial involvement during the project period, such as active technical engagement, oversight, coordination, or collaboration as the work progresses, rather than a hands-off grant structure.
What does "substantial DOE involvement" generally mean under a cooperative agreement?
Based on the FOA description, DOE involvement can include ongoing technical engagement and coordination during the period of performance, along with oversight and collaboration as the project develops and moves toward operationally usable outcomes.
What technical areas does the FOA emphasize?
The opportunity emphasizes three linked needs: (1) advancement in forecasting science (better methods for predicting solar power output), (2) rapid execution of forecasting models (forecasts must run fast enough to support operations and be updated as conditions change), and (3) seamless integration into electric system operations (forecasts must fit operator workflows and systems to be usable).
Does the FOA focus only on research, or also on deployment and operations?
The FOA is deployment- and operations-oriented in addition to encouraging research improvements. It stresses implementation pathways so forecasts are actionable within operational planning and real-time grid management, not just accurate in a research setting.
Why does the FOA call out rapid model execution?
Grid operations are time-sensitive. Forecasts need to be produced quickly enough to support short-term decisions and updated continuously as conditions change, so speed and operational timeliness are part of the value proposition.
What does "seamless integration into electric system operations" mean in the context of this FOA?
It signals that a forecast is only valuable if it can be used. Even highly accurate forecasting methods may deliver limited benefit if they are difficult to operate, not available when needed, or incompatible with the tools and workflows used by power system operators.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity may apply, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the FOA text.
Was a concept paper required?
Yes. Only applicants who submitted an eligible concept paper by December 30, 2016 were allowed to submit a full application. The concept paper served as a gatekeeping step rather than an optional preliminary submission.
What was the concept paper deadline?
The deadline for submitting an eligible concept paper was December 30, 2016.
What was the full application deadline?
The original closing date for full applications was March 24, 2017.
When was the FOA created?
The FOA was created on November 14, 2016.
How many awards were expected?
The dataset shows the expected number of awards as 0, which may indicate a placeholder value, later updates, or a reporting field that does not always reflect final selections.
What is the award ceiling listed for this FOA?
The award ceiling is listed as 2 in the provided source data.
How should the "award ceiling" and "expected number of awards" fields be interpreted?
Based on the information provided, these fields come from source data and may not always mirror final selections. The expected awards field showing 0 may be a placeholder or reporting artifact, while the award ceiling is listed as 2 as provided.
What is the overall intent of the FOA in plain terms?
In practical terms, the FOA aims to make solar power easier and cheaper to operate at scale by reducing forecast errors and ensuring improved forecasting tools are fast and operationally compatible with how grid operators plan and manage the system.
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