Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002809
The Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program (DE-FOA-0002809) is a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science opportunity aimed at speeding up the practical development of fusion energy by partnering directly with private industry. The core idea is that fusion has moved into a moment where recent scientific breakthroughs, major technology gains, and the rapid growth of private fusion companies have made it realistic to push harder toward demonstration-scale systems. DOE frames this as part of a national push to support net-zero emissions goals by 2050 while building a competitive U.S. fusion power industry, consistent with direction from the Energy Act of 2020 and guidance from major expert roadmapping efforts such as the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee long-range plan and the National Academies report on bringing fusion to the grid.
A key feature of this program is its milestone-based structure, which is meant to look and feel more like a development partnership than traditional open-ended research funding. Applicants are expected to propose applied research and development activities that knock down concrete scientific and engineering barriers on the path to a fusion pilot plant (FPP). In other words, the program is not just about advancing plasma physics in the abstract; it is about producing usable results that reduce risk for a pilot plant design and make commercialization timelines more credible. DOE also positions this as part of a broader "bold decadal vision" for commercial fusion, emphasizing that public-private partnerships can compress development schedules by combining public R&D strengths with private sector speed, integration capability, and commercialization focus.
The targeted end state is progress toward a fusion pilot plant that can demonstrate net fusion electricity at meaningful scale and duration, with a believable route to extended operation. The FOA cites a representative performance target drawn from the National Academies framing: on the order of greater than 50 MWe net electric output for more than 3 continuous hours (a stepping-stone demonstration), plus a timely path to achieving one full power year of operation. Just as importantly, the FOA highlights capital cost realism, stating that the pilot plant concept should be on a cost trajectory that could attract private investment, signaling that economics and bankability are part of the technical story this program wants to advance.
Eligibility is limited to U.S. for-profit entities, including both small businesses and for-profit organizations that are not small businesses, reflecting the explicit intent to engage the private fusion industry rather than universities or nonprofits as primary applicants. The funding instrument is listed as "Other" under a discretionary opportunity in the science and technology R&D category (CFDA 81.049), consistent with the nontraditional, milestone-driven partnership emphasis. The opportunity was released by DOE Office of Science, with an original closing date of December 15, 2022, and it anticipated making around four awards. Individual awards could be as large as $25,000,000, indicating an expectation of substantial, development-oriented projects rather than small exploratory studies.
Overall, this FOA is best understood as DOE putting real money behind a commercialization-adjacent fusion push: funding applied technical work that directly supports fusion pilot plant design, structuring support around measurable milestones, and explicitly leaning into a public-private partnership model to accelerate fusion energy research, development, and demonstration in the United States.Apply for DE FOA 0002809
- The Department of Energy - Office of Science, Office of Science in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.049.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 22, 2022.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Dec 15, 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 $25,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 4 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: For profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program (DE-FOA-0002809) - FAQs
What is the Milestone-Based Fusion Development Program (DE-FOA-0002809)?
It is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science funding opportunity focused on accelerating the practical development of fusion energy by partnering directly with private industry. The program is structured to support applied research and development that reduces key technical risks on the path to a fusion pilot plant (FPP).
Which DOE office is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity is released by the DOE Office of Science.
What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?
The main goal is to speed up progress toward demonstration-scale fusion systems by funding applied R&D activities that address concrete scientific and engineering barriers to a fusion pilot plant. The emphasis is on usable, risk-reducing outcomes that strengthen pilot plant designs and make commercialization timelines more credible.
How does DOE describe the broader motivation for this program?
DOE frames the program as part of a national push aligned with net-zero emissions goals by 2050 and a broader effort to build a competitive U.S. fusion power industry. It is described as consistent with the Energy Act of 2020 and major fusion roadmapping guidance, including the Fusion Energy Sciences Advisory Committee (FESAC) long-range plan and a National Academies report on bringing fusion to the grid.
What makes this program different from traditional research grants?
A key difference is the milestone-based structure. DOE presents it as a development partnership model rather than open-ended research funding. The intent is to fund work that can be tracked through measurable milestones tied to progress toward a fusion pilot plant, rather than supporting general research without a near-term deployment pathway.
What kinds of projects does DOE expect applicants to propose?
Applicants are expected to propose applied research and development activities that knock down specific scientific and engineering barriers on the path to a fusion pilot plant. The program is positioned as being focused on practical outcomes that reduce risk for pilot plant design and commercialization.
Is this opportunity focused on basic plasma physics research?
The program is described as not being about advancing plasma physics in the abstract. Instead, it is focused on producing usable, applied results that reduce risk for a fusion pilot plant and support credible commercialization timelines.
What is the intended end state or target outcome?
The intended end state is meaningful progress toward a fusion pilot plant capable of demonstrating net fusion electricity at relevant scale and duration, along with a believable route to extended operation.
Does the FOA mention any representative performance targets for the fusion pilot plant concept?
Yes. It cites a representative target drawn from the National Academies framing: on the order of greater than 50 MWe net electric output for more than 3 continuous hours as a stepping-stone demonstration, plus a timely path to achieving one full power year of operation.
Does the opportunity address economics and cost realism?
Yes. The FOA highlights capital cost realism and indicates that the pilot plant concept should be on a cost trajectory that could attract private investment. This signals that economics and bankability are considered part of the technical story the program wants to advance.
What is meant by a public-private partnership model in this FOA?
DOE describes the program as a public-private partnership intended to compress development schedules by combining public R&D strengths with private-sector speed, system integration capability, and commercialization focus.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligibility is limited to U.S. for-profit entities, including small businesses and for-profit organizations that are not small businesses. The FOA is explicitly aimed at engaging the private fusion industry rather than universities or nonprofits as primary applicants.
Are universities or nonprofits eligible as primary applicants?
Based on the information provided, eligibility is limited to U.S. for-profit entities, reflecting an intent to engage private industry rather than universities or nonprofits as primary applicants.
What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?
The funding instrument is listed as "Other" under a discretionary opportunity, consistent with the nontraditional, milestone-driven partnership approach.
What is the program category and assistance listing information?
It is described as a science and technology R&D category opportunity with CFDA 81.049.
When was the application closing date?
The original closing date stated for the opportunity was December 15, 2022.
How many awards did DOE anticipate making?
The opportunity anticipated making around four awards.
How large could individual awards be?
Individual awards could be as large as $25,000,000, reflecting an expectation of substantial, development-oriented projects rather than small exploratory studies.
What is the overall intent of DOE funding through this FOA?
The FOA is presented as DOE putting substantial funding behind a commercialization-adjacent fusion push: supporting applied technical work that directly aids fusion pilot plant design, using measurable milestones, and leaning into a private-industry partnership model to accelerate fusion energy research, development, and demonstration in the United States.
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