Roll-to-Roll Consortium Cooperative Research and Development Agreement Call
The NREL-led Roll-to-Roll (R2R) Consortium seeks qualified partners via a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) call for projects focused on roll-to-roll manufacturing of hydrogen fuel cell and water electrolyzer materials.
NREL issued a request for proposals on May 6, 2024, for participation in these CRADA projects with the national laboratories in the R2R Consortium.
Through this development assistance opportunity, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO) seeks proposals for joint partnerships between laboratories in the R2R Consortium—NREL, Argonne National Laboratory, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories—and qualified partners to accelerate domestic manufacturing and reduce the capital cost of durable and high-performing fuel cells and water electrolyzers.
Up to $8 million in DOE funding is available to develop scalable, affordable manufacturing processes and characterization tools that address manufacturing challenges relevant to proton exchange membrane fuel cells and water electrolyzers. Alkaline-based systems may also be of interest if the proposed activities are within the existing capabilities of the R2R Consortium.
Project Criteria
Projects should focus on one or more of these topic areas:
- Scaling catalyst or ionomer synthesis and processing methods.
- Roll-to-roll coating processes for catalyst layers, membranes, or other components.
- Advanced drying processes, such as infrared or microwave, for reduced energy intensity and/or emissions.
- Development or demonstration of in-line/at-line quality control or near-real-time inspection tools and instruments.
- Process modeling or advanced data analytics such as machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Selected projects must include at least one non-national laboratory participant that will collaborate with two national laboratories from the R2R Consortium to perform the work. HFTO funding will go toward the national laboratory services, staff time, and facilities necessary to support each selected project.
Application Process and Deadlines
Applicants must first submit concept papers for review by the R2R Consortium and HFTO. Applicants who are encouraged to submit full applications will work with the R2R Consortium to prepare a full application for final review and selection by HFTO.
- Concept paper deadline: June 3, 2024, at 3 p.m. MDT
- Full application deadline: July 15, 2024, at 3 p.m. MDT
The concept paper, full application, and all communications and questions regarding eligibility, the CRADA template, and application process should be sent by email to R2RCRADA@nrel.gov.
CRADA Call Documents
Download the CRADA call documents for detailed application and eligibility requirements and instructions. The participant and each national laboratory conducting work for the project must enter a CRADA based on the R2R Consortium Template CRADA. Each applicant should review the CRADA requirements and R2R Consortium Template CRADA carefully to understand the general terms, including intellectual property rights and requirements and the U.S. competitiveness provision, that will apply to its CRADA project.
View the solicitation at SAM.gov.
R2R CRADA Call Question and Answer Log (updated May 15, 2024)
Contact
If you have any questions, please contact R2RCRADA@nrel.gov.
Share