Notice of Intent to Issue Fiscal Year 2025 Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator Notice of Funding Opportunity

Background
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) intends to issue, on behalf of the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) entitled 'Fiscal Year 2025 Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator Notice of Funding Opportunity.' This NOFO aims to address the lack of sufficient private investment available for the successful commercialization of research and development (R&D) activities to bring innovative solar photovoltaic (PV) technology to market. Eligible recipients include for-profit entities, institutions of higher education, nonprofit entities, state and local governmental entities, and federally recognized Indian Tribes.

Grant Details
Successful applications will be selected from three topic areas:
1. Crystalline silicon (c-Si) module technology, covering all segments of the c-Si PV module supply chain from input materials and production equipment through module assembly.
2. Cadmium telluride (CdTe) module technology, covering all segments of the CdTe PV module supply chain including improvements in materials, processes, manufacturing, components, metrology, demonstration, recycling, and reclamation.
3. Non-module hardware technology that includes structural and electrical components and tools that improve performance, functionality, reliability, or ease of installation for PV systems. Each topic area includes specific areas of interest such as pilot-scale testing for c-Si modules and RD&D activities for non-module hardware components.

Eligibility Requirements
Prime recipients must be for-profit entities. Eligible subrecipients include institutions of higher education, nonprofit entities, state and local governmental entities, and federally recognized Indian Tribes.

Period of Performance
The estimated period of performance for each award will be approximately 18 to 36 months.

Grant Value
EERE anticipates federal funding of $20 million for this NOFO. A minimum 20% recipient cost share is required for projects classified as R&D. For mixed R&D and demonstration projects, cost share requirements will range between 20% and 50% depending on the mix of tasks.