Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002387
The Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) released the Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for the Bioeconomy (ECOSynBio) funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0002387) to push biomanufacturing beyond the normal limitations of fermentation. The core idea is to develop bioconversion technologies that keep far more of the carbon in the feedstock ending up in useful products instead of being lost as carbon dioxide. In conventional fermentation, organisms often vent a noticeable share of carbon as CO2 while balancing their internal chemistry and energy needs. ECOSynBio is aimed at breaking that tradeoff by enabling systems that can take in "external reducing equivalents" (essentially added electrons or reducing power supplied from outside the organism or process) so they can make products more efficiently without having to burn carbon off as CO2.
A central requirement of the opportunity is improved carbon efficiency that is tied directly to this use of external reducing power. The solicitation emphasizes that projects must show they can accommodate these external reducing equivalents in a way that makes the overall process outperform traditional fermentation in carbon and energy terms. In practical terms, ARPA-E is looking for systems where more of the input carbon is retained in the products and, importantly, where the sum of the recoverable energy content of the products is greater than the energy content of the biomass or primary carbon feedstock. That statement signals an intention to support bioprocesses that effectively "upgrade" feedstocks by adding externally supplied energy (through reducing equivalents), rather than only redistributing the energy already present in the feedstock.
ECOSynBio highlights several example technical approaches, while also leaving room for other creative "carbon optimized" concepts. One area of interest is carbon-optimized fermentation strains engineered to avoid CO2 evolution. This points to redesigning microbial metabolism so that pathways typically used to shed excess carbon as CO2 are replaced with pathways that conserve carbon into target molecules. Another approach is engineered mixotrophic consortia or systems that avoid CO2 evolution. Mixotrophy generally refers to organisms or communities that can use multiple carbon and/or energy sources (for example, combining organic substrates with CO2 assimilation), and ARPA-E is signaling interest in designed microbial communities or coupled systems that can leverage that flexibility to keep carbon in the product slate. A third highlighted concept is biomass or gas fermentation with internal CO2 utilization, meaning processes that capture and reuse CO2 produced within the system rather than releasing it, potentially by routing it back into fixation pathways or carboxylation reactions. The opportunity also includes cell-free carbon optimized biocatalytic biomass conversion and/or CO2 utilization, which broadens the scope beyond living cells to enzymatic or cell-free synthetic biology platforms that may avoid some of the biological constraints that force CO2 release. Finally, ARPA-E explicitly invites cross-cutting or other carbon-optimized bioconversion schemes, which is a way of encouraging hybrid approaches that combine elements like electrochemistry, metabolic engineering, systems biology, reactor design, and process integration.
From an administrative standpoint, ECOSynBio was offered as a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements, grants, and other award instruments under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, with CFDA number 81.135. Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning the program was broadly open to different kinds of applicants (universities, companies, national labs, nonprofits, and others), subject to any additional eligibility details in the full announcement. The opportunity was created on September 10, 2020, with concept papers due by October 26, 2020, and applicants were encouraged to submit 48 hours before the deadline. ARPA-E anticipated making about 12 awards, with an award ceiling of $7,000,000 per project, indicating an interest in relatively ambitious, high-impact R&D efforts rather than small exploratory grants.
Overall, ECOSynBio is best read as an ARPA-E push to redefine what "efficient" bioconversion looks like by coupling biology (or biocatalysis) to externally supplied reducing power. The program is not just about incremental strain improvements; it is about re-engineering the carbon and electron economy of bioprocesses so that CO2 is minimized or internally recycled, carbon utilization is maximized, and product energy can exceed the inherent energy of the original carbon feedstock because the process is deliberately energized from the outside.Apply for DE FOA 0002387
- The Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy in the science and technology and other research and development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for the Bioeconomy (ECOSynBio)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.135.
- This funding opportunity was created on Sep 10, 2020.
- Applicants must submit their applications by Oct 26, 2020 Concept Papers due 10/26/2020. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit 48 hours in advance of the deadline.. (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 $7,000,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 12 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.
[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal:
ECOSynBio (DE-FOA-0002387) Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ECOSynBio funding opportunity?
ECOSynBio stands for Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for the Bioeconomy. It is a Department of Energy ARPA-E funding opportunity (DE-FOA-0002387) focused on biomanufacturing technologies that go beyond the usual limits of conventional fermentation by keeping more carbon from the feedstock in useful products instead of losing it as carbon dioxide (CO2).
Which agency is offering this opportunity?
The opportunity was released by the Department of Energy (DOE) through its Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E).
What problem is ECOSynBio trying to solve?
In conventional fermentation, organisms often release a meaningful portion of feedstock carbon as CO2 to balance internal chemistry and energy needs. ECOSynBio targets that tradeoff by supporting bioconversion systems designed to retain far more carbon in the final products rather than venting it as CO2.
What is the main technical idea behind ECOSynBio?
The central idea is to develop bioconversion technologies that can use "external reducing equivalents" (added reducing power or electrons supplied from outside the organism or process). By supplying reducing power externally, the system can avoid burning carbon into CO2 just to meet cellular or process energy and redox requirements, improving overall carbon efficiency.
What are "external reducing equivalents" in the context of this program?
Within the description provided, external reducing equivalents refer to reducing power (effectively added electrons) delivered from outside the organism or bioconversion process. The intent is that this added reducing power enables higher-yield conversion to products with less carbon lost as CO2.
What is a central requirement for projects under ECOSynBio?
A central requirement is improved carbon efficiency directly tied to the use of external reducing power. Projects are expected to show they can accommodate external reducing equivalents in a way that outperforms traditional fermentation in both carbon and energy terms.
How does ARPA-E define "improved carbon efficiency" here?
Based on the program description, improved carbon efficiency means more of the input carbon is retained in the products and less is emitted as CO2. The solicitation emphasizes systems that minimize CO2 evolution or recycle it internally rather than releasing it.
What does the program mean by outperforming traditional fermentation in "carbon and energy terms"?
It means the overall process should retain more carbon in useful products and, importantly, demonstrate improved energy outcomes versus conventional fermentation. The opportunity text highlights an energy-oriented target: the sum of recoverable energy content of the products should be greater than the energy content of the biomass or primary carbon feedstock.
Why does ECOSynBio emphasize product energy content being greater than the feedstock energy content?
This signals interest in bioprocesses that do more than redistribute the energy already contained in the feedstock. Instead, the process is intended to "upgrade" feedstocks by adding externally supplied energy (via external reducing equivalents), so the product slate can carry more recoverable energy than the original biomass or primary carbon feedstock.
Is ECOSynBio focused on incremental strain improvements or more radical approaches?
The description frames ECOSynBio as more than incremental strain improvements. The emphasis is on re-engineering the carbon and electron economy of bioprocesses so that CO2 is minimized or internally recycled and carbon utilization is maximized through the use of external reducing power.
What technical approaches does ECOSynBio highlight as examples?
The opportunity highlights several example approaches while also inviting other carbon-optimized concepts. Examples mentioned include: carbon-optimized fermentation strains engineered to avoid CO2 evolution; engineered mixotrophic consortia or systems that avoid CO2 evolution; biomass or gas fermentation with internal CO2 utilization; cell-free carbon-optimized biocatalytic biomass conversion and/or CO2 utilization; and other cross-cutting carbon-optimized bioconversion schemes.
What does "carbon-optimized fermentation strains engineered to avoid CO2 evolution" mean in this context?
It refers to engineering microbial metabolism so pathways that typically shed carbon as CO2 are replaced or redesigned to conserve carbon into target molecules, reducing or avoiding CO2 evolution during fermentation.
What are "engineered mixotrophic consortia or systems" as described here?
Mixotrophy generally refers to organisms or communities that can use multiple carbon and/or energy sources. In the ECOSynBio description, ARPA-E indicates interest in designed microbial communities or coupled systems that leverage mixotrophic flexibility to keep carbon in the product slate and avoid CO2 evolution.
What does "biomass or gas fermentation with internal CO2 utilization" mean?
It refers to processes that capture and reuse CO2 produced within the system rather than releasing it. The description suggests this could be done by routing CO2 back into fixation pathways or carboxylation reactions within the overall process.
Does ECOSynBio allow approaches that are not based on living cells?
Yes. The opportunity explicitly includes cell-free carbon-optimized biocatalytic biomass conversion and/or CO2 utilization, indicating that enzymatic or cell-free synthetic biology platforms are within scope.
Are hybrid or cross-cutting approaches encouraged?
Yes. ARPA-E explicitly invites cross-cutting or other carbon-optimized bioconversion schemes, encouraging hybrid approaches that may combine areas such as electrochemistry, metabolic engineering, systems biology, reactor design, and process integration.
What types of award instruments were used for ECOSynBio?
Administratively, ECOSynBio was offered as a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements, grants, and other award instruments.
What is the funding category and CFDA number listed for this opportunity?
The opportunity falls under the Science and Technology and other Research and Development category, with CFDA number 81.135.
Who was eligible to apply?
Eligibility was listed as unrestricted, meaning it was broadly open to different types of applicants (including universities, companies, national labs, nonprofits, and others), subject to any additional eligibility details in the full announcement.
When was the opportunity created and what were the concept paper deadlines?
The opportunity was created on September 10, 2020. Concept papers were due by October 26, 2020, and applicants were encouraged to submit 48 hours before the deadline.
How many awards did ARPA-E anticipate making?
ARPA-E anticipated making about 12 awards under this opportunity.
What was the maximum award size (award ceiling)?
The award ceiling was listed as $7,000,000 per project, indicating support for relatively ambitious, high-impact R&D efforts.
What kind of projects does the award ceiling suggest ARPA-E wanted to fund?
Given the stated ceiling of $7,000,000 per project and the expectation of about 12 awards, the opportunity appears oriented toward larger, high-impact research and development efforts rather than small exploratory grants.
What is the key performance theme across the technical areas mentioned?
The common theme is carbon-optimized bioconversion that minimizes CO2 emissions (or recycles CO2 internally) and uses external reducing equivalents to improve both carbon retention in products and overall energy performance compared to conventional fermentation.
What is the opportunity number and title that applicants should reference?
The opportunity is titled "Energy and Carbon Optimized Synthesis for the Bioeconomy (ECOSynBio)" and is identified as DE-FOA-0002387.
Browse more opportunities from the same category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development
Next opportunity: Head Start/Early Head Start Grantee -- Communities in the state of Washington
Previous opportunity: DoD Rare Cancers, Idea Development Award
Applicant Portal:
Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.
Apply for DE FOA 0002387
Applicants also applied for:
Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (DE FOA 0002387) also looked into and applied for these:
| Funding Opportunity |
|---|
| ECOSynBIO SBIR/STTR Apply for DE FOA 0002388 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002388 Agency: Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $3,677,642 |
| HBCU Cooperative Research in Housing Technologies Apply for FR 6400 N 55 Funding Number: FR 6400 N 55 Agency: US Department of Housing and Urban Development Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $250,000 |
| Sustainable Regional Systems Research Networks Apply for 20 611 Funding Number: 20 611 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Geometric Analysis Apply for PD 20 1265 Funding Number: PD 20 1265 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Use of the Nasa Physical Sciences Informatics System Appendix Apply for NNH20ZDA014N Funding Number: NNH20ZDA014N Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Headquarters Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $200,000 |
| Request for Information (RFI): Reducing Environmental Methane Everyday of the Year (REMEDY) Apply for DE FOA 0002419 Funding Number: DE FOA 0002419 Agency: Department of Energy, Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| DoD Reconstructive Transplant, Clinical Network Award Apply for W81XWH 20 RTRP CNA Funding Number: W81XWH 20 RTRP CNA Agency: Department of Defense, Dept. of the Army -- USAMRAA Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Basin CESU Apply for G20AS00083 Funding Number: G20AS00083 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $450,000 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Great Lakes Northern Forests (CESU) Apply for G20AS00105 Funding Number: G20AS00105 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $750,000 |
| Infrastructure Innovation for Biological Research Apply for 21 502 Funding Number: 21 502 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $800,000 |
| Infrastructure Capacity for Biological Research Apply for 21 501 Funding Number: 21 501 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,200,000 |
| Sustaining Infrastructure for Biological Research Apply for 21 503 Funding Number: 21 503 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU), Great Lakes Northern Forest CESU Apply for G20AS00067 Funding Number: G20AS00067 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $415,000 |
| Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit, Californian CESU Apply for G20AS00070 Funding Number: G20AS00070 Agency: Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $1,098,920 |
| Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research II (GESTAR II) Apply for 80GSFC21R0003 Funding Number: 80GSFC21R0003 Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Mid-scale Research Infrastructure-1 Apply for 21 505 Funding Number: 21 505 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $19,999,999 |
| Plant Genome Research Program Apply for 21 507 Funding Number: 21 507 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Transitions to Excellence in Molecular and Cellular Biosciences Research Apply for 21 508 Funding Number: 21 508 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
| Partnerships for Research and Education in Materials Apply for 21 510 Funding Number: 21 510 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: $700,000 |
| Accelerating Research through International Network-to-Network Collaborations Apply for 21 511 Funding Number: 21 511 Agency: National Science Foundation Category: Science and Technology and other Research and Development Funding Amount: Case Dependent |
Grant application guides and resources
It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!
Apply for Grants
Inside Our Applicants Portal
Access Applicants Portal
- Grants Repository - Access current and historic funding opportunities with ease. Thousands of funding opportunities are published every week. We can help you sort through the database and find the eligible ones to apply for.
- Applicant Video Guides - The grant application process can be challenging to follow. We can help you with intuitive video guides to speed up the process and eliminate errors in submissions.
- Grant Proposal Wizard - We have developed a network of private funding organizations and investors across the United States. We can reach out and submit your proposal to these contacts to maximize your chances of getting the funding you need.
Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers
Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.
If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.
Learn More
Request more information:
Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "DE FOA 0002387", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:
Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.