Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) Phase II - Storage Complex Feasibility | DE FOA 0002610

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002610

The Department of Energy, through the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), released this discretionary funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0002610) to support Phase II of the Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) initiative, focused specifically on storage complex feasibility. CarbonSAFE is DOE's flagship effort to help move carbon dioxide (CO2) geologic storage from site-by-site research into broadly deployable, commercial-scale practice across many U.S. regions. In practical terms, this announcement is meant to help project teams take a promising storage concept and do the detailed technical, regulatory, commercial, and community work needed to show that a real, buildable carbon storage complex is achievable and worth developing.

The core purpose of CarbonSAFE Phase II is to define and assess a carbon storage complex with enough rigor to support major next steps toward development. Projects are expected to gather and generate key datasets and complete geologic analyses that demonstrate the suitability of the subsurface for long-term CO2 storage. That includes characterizing the geology, understanding storage capacity and injectivity, and evaluating containment through sealing formations and structural/stratigraphic traps. Teams are also expected to perform subsurface modeling to support geologic characterization, which generally means building and refining geologic and reservoir models that can simulate CO2 injection behavior, plume migration, pressure evolution, and long-term storage performance under realistic operating scenarios.

A major emphasis of the Phase II scope is a comprehensive feasibility study that addresses both technical viability and economic viability. On the technical side, projects are expected to identify risks and develop monitoring approaches, which typically involves risk assessment and planning for measurement, monitoring, and verification (MMV) to track CO2 movement, confirm containment, and detect anomalies. The opportunity also highlights the need to identify contractual and regulatory requirements and develop plans to satisfy them, reflecting the reality that successful carbon storage projects are not only about geology but also about securing pore space access, aligning with permitting pathways, and preparing the documentation and project plans needed to move forward under applicable state and federal frameworks.

Public engagement is explicitly included as a required component of the work. This reflects DOE's recognition that community understanding, acceptance, and ongoing stakeholder communication are essential to siting and operating carbon storage infrastructure. Phase II projects are therefore expected to engage with local communities and stakeholders, communicate plans and findings in accessible ways, and incorporate feedback as part of responsible project development.

From an administrative standpoint, the announcement is issued as a cooperative agreement, meaning DOE expects substantial involvement during the project period rather than a hands-off grant structure. The opportunity is open to unrestricted eligible applicants (broadly open to many entity types, subject to any additional eligibility clarifications in the full text). DOE anticipated making about 8 awards, with an award ceiling of $7.5 million per award. The funding opportunity was created on May 2, 2022, and originally closed on July 1, 2022. The program is listed under CFDA number 81.089 and is categorized under the Energy funding activity area.

Overall, this FOA is aimed at turning prospective storage sites into well-defined, defensible storage complex concepts by funding the detailed site characterization, modeling, risk and monitoring planning, regulatory and commercial readiness planning, and stakeholder engagement needed to credibly demonstrate that large-scale geologic CO2 storage can be developed and operated safely, compliantly, and economically.

• The Department of Energy, National Energy Technology Laboratory in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Carbon Storage Assurance Facility Enterprise (CarbonSAFE) Phase II - Storage Complex Feasibility" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.089.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 02, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 01, 2022. (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 $7,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 8 candidate(s).
• 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.

Apply for DE FOA 0002610

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