Funding Notice: Solar with Wildlife and Ecosystem Benefits 2 (SolWEB2)
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) announced the Solar with Wildlife and Ecosystem Benefits 2 (SolWEB2) funding opportunity, which will award up to $11 million for research and development, technical assistance, and stakeholder engagement activities that improve the compatibility of large-scale solar (LSS) facilities with wildlife and facilitate the dual use of land for agricultural and solar energy production, also known as agrivoltaics.
More than 5,000 LSS facilities have opened in the United States in the last 10 years—and this growth is expected to continue in the next decade. This expansion has increased interactions between LSS facilities and the surrounding environment, including natural wildlife habitats and agricultural areas. Land-use conflict due to siting and permitting of LSS facilities is already becoming more prevalent. SolWEB2 projects will help stakeholders make informed decisions about solar energy by testing and implementing strategies that improve LSS siting processes and outcomes for wildlife, ecosystems, and communities that host LSS facilities and produce energy locally.
SETO expects to make three to eight awards under the SolWEB2 notice of funding opportunity (NOFO), each ranging from $1 million to $3 million.
Office: Solar Energy Technologies Office
NOFO number: DE-FOA-0003492
Link to apply: Apply on EERE Exchange
NOFO Amount: $11 million
Prior to submitting a full application for this opportunity, a mandatory concept paper is due on February 14, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET.
