Submissions are now open for DOE's new Voucher Program to connect U.S. entrepreneurs, businesses, technology developers, local governments, and other partners with third-party voucher providers to advance demonstration and commercialization of innovative energy technologies. Vouchers can be used to access test-bed performance validation capabilities, industry certification testing, technical and business services, siting/permitting support, and other commercialization assistance. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), in collaboration with the Offices of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), announced the new Voucher Program, which will provide $27.5 million in in-kind commercialization support to organizations that have a role in bringing innovative energy technologies to market nation-wide. This program will lower barriers for small businesses, non-traditional partners, and other organizations from underrepresented communities that may face difficulties accessing testing facilities or obtaining expensive third-party subject matter expertise needed to advance their technologies, business, or energy projects to the next level.

Five voucher opportunities are now open, each has their own separate criteria.

• Voucher Opportunity 1 – Pre-Demonstration Commercialization Support (OCED/EERE): Are you a company (for-profit entity) who received support from DOE through a research, development, and/or demonstration financial assistance agreement in the last 5 years? This opportunity is designed to provide additional support in the form of a voucher to obtain bankability studies, manufacturing/supply chain assessments, community benefits assessments, and other technoeconomic analyses. The goal is to accelerate the commercialization of your technology and prepare it for the market or for integration into a large-scale first-of-a-kind demonstration project. More information.
• Voucher Opportunity 2 – Performance Validation, Modeling, and Certification Support (OCED/EERE): Are you a company (for-profit entity) who is working to commercialize or demonstrate in a large energy infrastructure system a clean energy prototype/product? This opportunity is designed to provide support in the form of a voucher to obtain Performance Validation, Modeling, and Certification Support, including failure-mode studies, testing to obtain industry-relevant certifications, system performance modeling, digital twin development, and other real-world testing environments. More information.
• Voucher Opportunity 3 – Clean Energy Demonstration Project Siting/Permitting Support (OCED/EERE): States, local governments, tribes, and other Authority Having Jurisdictions (AHJs) interested in learning about and facilitating clean energy demonstration project siting and permitting processes should take advantage of this voucher opportunity. This opportunity is designed to help AHJs streamline siting and permitting processes to advance commercialization and demonstration of innovative clean energy technologies. More information.
• Voucher Opportunity 4 – Commercialization Support (EERE): Are you a company (for-profit entity) who received support from DOE through a research, development, and/or demonstration financial assistance agreement or prize program in the last 5 years? This opportunity is designed to provide additional support in the form of a voucher for help with market assessment, business plan formulation, fundraising road-mapping (from both public and private sources), and commercialization strategy. More information.
• Voucher Opportunity 5 – Commercialization Support (FECM): Are you a carbon management or resource sustainability innovator and technology developer including, but not limited to, for-profit technology development firms, that needs commercialization support? This opportunity is designed to provide independent assessment of Monitoring Reporting and Verification (MRV) technologies and practices for carbon management technologies and performance validation support for resource sustainability technologies. More information.