ANNOUNCEMENT: Renewable Energy Research & Innovation (RERI) Fund 2023-24
Call for Proposals (CFP)
OREC (Oregon Renewable Energy Center) is excited to announce this year’s opportunity to apply for Renewable Energy Applied Research and Innovation (RERI) Grant Funds.
OREC is funded by the State of Oregon Legislature, hosted and based in Oregon Tech. The Center’s mission is advancing Renewable Energy (RE) technologies that can help accelerate the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy, specifically in the state of Oregon.
Proposals’ budget can range from $5K to $50K and may be focused on the wide range of renewable energy (generation: geothermal, wind, solar, etc.; Energy storage/conversion: battery, fuel cells, hydrogen, etc.; Energy conservation: smart building, etc.; Carbon capture/reduction, etc.; Grid integration, and economic impact). With the exception of hydro/water-based (which is excluded from renewable energy category in view of the state of Oregon), all applied renewable energy research and innovations that aim to address the technological and implementation issues facing the state now and seek to remove the barrier between OR today and the future renewable energy OR are solicited. The emphasis on the aspects that address specifically for the unique conditions (climate, geography, economic, social, etc.) of Oregon state are preferred.
Multidisciplinary proposals involving faculty and students from multiple programs are encouraged. Interested faculty are encouraged to contact Dr. Arief Budiman, OREC Director, for questions regarding this CFP.
Each proposal must clearly identify all faculty participants and their roles, the number of students to be involved in the project and include a budget with justification for each item (including equipment quotations, if applicable).
Proposals should include the following sections:
!. Executive summary
2. Project description
3. Project goals/objectives
4. Initial approach(es) to be used to meet goals/objectives
5. Students (names not needed) and faculty participating and their roles
6. Project timeline/milestones/deliverables
7. Resources required
8. Detailed budget and justification; include OPE, if applicable, in the project’s total budget request
9. One-page biographical sketch for each participating faculty member
No more than one proposal may be submitted by an individual faculty member as PI. The proposal must be signed by the project lead. Proposals may be funded at less than the amount requested, with a mutually agreed upon reduction in the project’s deliverables. Award sizes may vary between projects and will depend on the scope of the proposed work and the funds available. It is anticipated that there will be 3 to 4 awards for 2023-2024.
Proposals are due electronically to OREC Director (arief.budiman@oit.edu) by 5:00 PM on November 24, 2023. Award notifications will be made by December 30, 2023. Awardees (students and faculty) must present their outcomes/solutions at a student symposium or other approved event and submit a brief final report to OREC by the deadline specified in the award letter, or November 30, 2024, whichever is the earlier.
Proposals should be innovative, creative, and entrepreneurial in nature. Proposals are limited to five pages (excluding executive summary, biographical sketches, and any equipment quotes). Expenditures outlined in proposals must be completed by November 30, 2024; extensions with justifications may be requested for consideration. If equipment is included in a proposal, it must be received prior to September 30, 2023.
Review of all proposals will be conducted by a Committee for OREC, which consists of both internal OREC scientists/experts, as well as external, independent scientists and/or renewable energy experts both from academia and national labs, as well as the renewable energy industry.
Allowable Expenses
• Travel expenses for students and faculty
• Information acquisition
• Student stipends or hourly wages, to include 2% fringe benefits
• Summer stipends for faculty on 9-month contracts (to include benefits*)
• Essential equipment and supplies
• Other expenses may be considered for specific purposes to enhance the proposal
i Total equipment and supply costs must not exceed 25% of the total proposal request. *Stipend amount needs to account for the estimated amount of benefits/other payroll expenses (OPE) charged to the employer