Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003373

NOFO DE-FOA-0003373 is a U.S. Department of Energy funding opportunity administered through the Golden Field Office under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), specifically targeting Provision 41007(b)(2) on wind turbine technology recycling. The program is designed to fund research and development that makes wind energy technology more circular over its full life cycle, with an emphasis on reducing waste, recovering valuable materials, and building stronger domestic manufacturing and supply chains. In practical terms, the opportunity is part of a broader federal push to ensure that the clean energy transition delivers not only lower emissions, but also durable U.S. industrial capacity, workforce benefits, and progress on environmental justice priorities.

The core purpose of the NOFO is to support innovative and practical approaches that increase the reuse and recycling of wind energy technologies. The scope is anchored in BIL section 41007(b)(2) and, through that provision, references section 3003(b)(4) of the Energy Act of 2020. The funded work is expected to move beyond general concepts and focus on implementable technical pathways that can scale, reduce total cost, and improve environmental performance. While the notice is framed around wind technologies broadly, it is especially relevant to the growing volume of end-of-life wind turbine components and the need to avoid landfilling large composite structures while also improving access to critical raw materials.

The NOFO highlights several priority R and D directions. One major theme is improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of recovering raw materials from wind technology components and systems. This can include better processes for separating and reclaiming metals and other materials from generators, nacelles, power electronics, and balance-of-system components, as well as tackling harder-to-recycle materials found in blades and composite structures. Another major theme is minimizing environmental impacts associated with recovery and disposal, which typically means reducing hazardous byproducts, lowering energy use and emissions from recycling processes, improving worker safety, and preventing pollution during disassembly, transport, and processing.

A third focus area is advancing the technologies and processes used to disassemble and recycle wind energy devices. That emphasis recognizes that recycling is not just a materials science problem; it is also a logistics and engineering challenge involving how equipment is taken apart in the field, how components are handled and cut down to manageable sizes, and how those steps affect downstream recycling economics. Related to that, the NOFO explicitly encourages development of alternative materials, designs, and manufacturing processes that make future wind technologies easier to disassemble and recycle in an environmentally responsible way. This includes design-for-disassembly concepts, materials selection that supports higher-value recycling, and manufacturing approaches that reduce the complexity and cost of later resource recovery.

In addition to technical work, the NOFO also points to strategies that increase consumer acceptance of and participation in wind technology recycling. This reflects the reality that recycling systems only work when there is coordination across many actors, including wind plant owners and operators, OEMs and blade manufacturers, recyclers, transport providers, and host communities. Projects that address participation barriers, market confidence in recycled feedstocks, product standards, traceability, or business models that make recycling the default end-of-life pathway align with the intent described in the opportunity summary.

From an administrative and funding standpoint, this is a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements, meaning DOE typically expects substantial involvement during the project period (for example, technical direction, milestones, and regular reporting). The opportunity is listed under CFDA number 81.087 (energy-related assistance). Eligibility is described as unrestricted, which generally signals that a wide range of applicants may apply (such as private companies, universities, nonprofits, state and local entities, and national laboratories where allowed), subject to the specific rules and requirements stated in the full NOFO.

Key program details included in the listing indicate an anticipated maximum award size (award ceiling) of $8,000,000 and an expectation of about 7 awards. The original closing date is February 11, 2025. The opportunity was created on December 11, 2024. Applicants are directed to review the full announcement and submission requirements on EERE Exchange (https://eere-exchange.energy.gov), which is where DOE typically posts the complete technical topics, eligibility nuances, cost-share requirements if applicable, required application forms, merit review criteria, and compliance obligations.

Overall, DE-FOA-0003373 is aimed at accelerating a real-world, scalable wind recycling ecosystem in the United States by funding R and D that makes recycling cheaper, cleaner, and more practical, while also pushing upstream improvements in materials and design so that the next generation of wind technology is built with end-of-life recovery in mind.

  • The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "NOFO: DE-FOA-0003373, Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), Provision 41007 (b)(2), Wind Turbine Technology Recycling" 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 2024-12-11.
  • Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-02-11. (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 $8,000,000.00 in funding.
  • The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 7 candidate(s).
  • Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
Apply for DE FOA 0003373

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - DOE NOFO DE-FOA-0003373 (Wind Turbine Technology Recycling)

1) What is NOFO DE-FOA-0003373?

NOFO DE-FOA-0003373 is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding opportunity announcement administered through DOE's Golden Field Office. It was issued under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and targets BIL Provision 41007(b)(2) focused on wind turbine technology recycling.

2) What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The program is designed to fund research and development (R&D) that makes wind energy technology more circular across its full life cycle. The emphasis is on reducing waste, recovering valuable materials, and strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply chains tied to wind technology.

3) What does "more circular" mean in this NOFO?

In this context, "circular" refers to improving reuse and recycling outcomes for wind energy technologies so fewer materials are discarded and more value is recovered from end-of-life components. The intent is to reduce landfilling, improve material recovery (including valuable and critical materials), and enable practical pathways that can scale.

4) Which law and sections does this NOFO reference?

The NOFO is anchored in BIL section 41007(b)(2), and through that provision it references section 3003(b)(4) of the Energy Act of 2020.

5) What kinds of activities or projects does DOE want to fund?

The opportunity supports innovative and practical R&D approaches that increase reuse and recycling of wind energy technologies, with an expectation that funded work moves beyond general concepts toward implementable technical pathways that can scale, reduce total cost, and improve environmental performance.

6) Is the NOFO only about recycling wind turbine blades?

No. While blades and large composite structures are explicitly relevant due to end-of-life challenges and landfill avoidance, the NOFO is framed around wind technologies broadly and includes components and systems such as generators, nacelles, power electronics, and balance-of-system components.

7) What are the main technical priority areas described in the opportunity summary?

The NOFO highlights several priority R&D directions, including: improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness of raw material recovery; minimizing environmental impacts associated with recovery and disposal; advancing technologies and processes used to disassemble and recycle wind energy devices; and developing alternative materials, designs, and manufacturing processes that make future wind technologies easier to disassemble and recycle responsibly.

8) What does DOE mean by improving raw material recovery?

This includes better processes for separating and reclaiming metals and other materials from wind components and systems (such as generators, nacelles, and power electronics), as well as addressing hard-to-recycle materials found in blades and composite structures.

9) What types of environmental improvements are emphasized?

The NOFO emphasizes minimizing environmental impacts associated with recovery and disposal. Examples described include reducing hazardous byproducts, lowering energy use and emissions from recycling processes, improving worker safety, and preventing pollution during disassembly, transport, and processing.

10) Why does the NOFO focus on disassembly and logistics?

The NOFO recognizes that recycling is not only a materials science challenge but also a logistics and engineering challenge. It highlights how equipment is taken apart in the field, how components are handled and cut into manageable sizes, and how those steps affect downstream recycling economics.

11) Does the NOFO support designing future wind technologies to be easier to recycle?

Yes. The NOFO explicitly encourages development of alternative materials, designs, and manufacturing processes that make future wind technologies easier to disassemble and recycle in an environmentally responsible way. This includes design-for-disassembly concepts, materials selection that supports higher-value recycling, and manufacturing approaches that reduce complexity and cost of later resource recovery.

12) Are non-technical approaches (like market and participation strategies) relevant?

Yes. In addition to technical work, the NOFO points to strategies that increase consumer acceptance of and participation in wind technology recycling. It notes that successful recycling systems require coordination across wind plant owners/operators, OEMs and manufacturers, recyclers, transport providers, and host communities.

13) What examples of participation or market strategies align with the opportunity summary?

The summary references addressing participation barriers, improving market confidence in recycled feedstocks, developing product standards, enabling traceability, and creating business models that make recycling the default end-of-life pathway.

14) What type of funding instrument will DOE use?

This is a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements. That generally means DOE expects substantial involvement during the project period, such as technical direction, defined milestones, and regular reporting.

15) What is the CFDA number for this opportunity?

The listing identifies CFDA number 81.087 (energy-related assistance).

16) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, which generally signals that a wide range of applicants may apply (for example, private companies, universities, nonprofits, state and local entities, and national laboratories where allowed). Applicants should rely on the full NOFO for the specific eligibility rules and requirements.

17) What is the maximum award amount?

The listing indicates an anticipated maximum award size (award ceiling) of $8,000,000.

18) How many awards does DOE expect to make?

The opportunity listing indicates DOE expects about 7 awards.

19) What is the application deadline?

The original closing date listed is February 11, 2025.

20) When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on December 11, 2024.

21) Where do applicants find the full announcement and how do they apply?

Applicants are directed to review the full announcement and submission requirements on EERE Exchange at https://eere-exchange.energy.gov, which is where DOE posts the complete technical topics, submission instructions, and required forms.

22) What additional details should applicants expect to find in the full NOFO on EERE Exchange?

The full posting is expected to include the complete technical topics, eligibility nuances, cost-share requirements if applicable, required application forms, merit review criteria, and compliance obligations.

23) How does this NOFO connect to broader federal priorities?

As described in the opportunity summary, it is part of a broader federal push to ensure the clean energy transition supports not only lower emissions, but also durable U.S. industrial capacity, workforce benefits, and progress on environmental justice priorities.

24) What is the overall outcome DOE is trying to accelerate through this NOFO?

The NOFO aims to accelerate a real-world, scalable wind recycling ecosystem in the United States by funding R&D that makes recycling cheaper, cleaner, and more practical, while also encouraging upstream improvements in materials and design so the next generation of wind technology is built with end-of-life recovery in mind.

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