Request for Information (RFI): Nonconventional Fusion Approaches and Energy Applications | DE FOA 0002499

Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0002499

The Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) issued this notice as a Request for Information (RFI) focused on "Nonconventional Fusion Approaches and Energy Applications" (Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0002499). It is not a funding solicitation and it is not asking for grant applications or proposals for financial assistance. The point of the RFI is to collect technical and programmatic input that ARPA-E can use to shape or decide on possible future ARPA-E programs. In other words, it is a market and technology listening exercise meant to inform program planning, and ARPA-E is making it explicit that no Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) exists at this time.

The RFI is centered on two big themes. First, ARPA-E wants ideas and evidence around "nonconventional" fusion approaches, meaning fusion concepts other than the mainstream thermonuclear deuterium-tritium (D-T) pathway that dominates much of the global fusion community. Second, ARPA-E is looking for input on energy-related applications for fusion (or key fusion-enabling technologies) beyond the usual end goal of grid-scale electricity generation. This second theme reflects a practical concern: electricity markets can be extremely cost-competitive in certain regions, which could make it harder for fusion power plants to compete purely as grid electricity providers, at least early on. ARPA-E is therefore inviting thinking about where fusion might deliver value sooner, differently, or more scalably, while still being capable of very large eventual impact.

The background section lays out why ARPA-E is even looking outside D-T thermonuclear fusion, despite its maturity. D-T is widely pursued because it has the highest fusion reactivity at comparatively lower temperatures, and thermonuclear approaches appear to offer one of the most plausible paths to demonstrating net energy gain. ARPA-E notes that recent expert and community reports recommend increased U.S. investment to address remaining hurdles and to enable a fusion pilot plant (FPP) by 2040 or earlier. ARPA-E also references its own prior and ongoing fusion-related efforts (ALPHA, BETHE, and GAMOW) as examples of programs aimed at making commercially viable thermonuclear D-T fusion more achievable on an accelerated timeline.

At the same time, the RFI highlights two major engineering and deployment challenges associated with thermonuclear D-T fusion that could drive cost, regulatory complexity, and public acceptance issues. One is tritium availability: tritium is not naturally abundant, so a D-T system generally requires tritium breeding and involves maintaining a relatively large on-site tritium inventory. The other is neutron-related materials and waste challenges: roughly 80 percent of the energy from D-T fusion comes out as high-energy (14.1 MeV) neutrons, which can damage and activate surrounding materials. This pushes the field toward developing specialized low-activation structural materials and results in low-level radioactive waste that still requires disposition. ARPA-E acknowledges that work is underway on solutions, but frames these issues as part of the motivation for exploring nonconventional approaches that might avoid or reduce tritium dependence, neutron damage, activation, and related socio-economic barriers.

On applications, ARPA-E is open to niche, high-value uses, but it stresses that any future program informed by this RFI should aim for technologies that can scale to extremely large outcomes: "quad-level" energy impacts and/or "gigaton-level" carbon emissions reductions, in the U.S. or globally. The notice gives examples of the kinds of application spaces it wants respondents to think about. These include uses of intense fusion-generated neutron or charged-particle fluxes, delivery of low- or high-grade process heat below roughly 1000 K, and the possibility of new markets enabled by a compact, dense energy source that could be sited closer to population centers. It also explicitly mentions the prospect of micro-reactor-class fusion systems in the kilowatt to 50 MW range, implying interest in smaller, modular, or distributed fusion concepts if they can be made practical.

In terms of participation, ARPA-E describes this as a "hybrid" RFI format. Respondents can submit the traditional written response, and/or they can participate in an online "incubator" discussion forum and an "ask me anything" (AMA) session hosted on a Polyplexus, LLC platform. The incubator is positioned as a moderated, evidence-based discussion space led by an ARPA-E Program Director, where participants can interact dynamically and potentially influence the direction of the conversation. The incubator discussions are visible to registered Polyplexus users, registration is free, and participation in the incubator/AMA is encouraged but not required to submit written feedback.

Key administrative details are straightforward. The eligible applicant category is listed as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity can respond (subject to any clarifications in the full RFI). The RFI was created March 17, 2021, and responses were due by April 30, 2021 at 5:00 PM Eastern Time, submitted as a PDF via email to ARPA-E-RFI@hq.doe.gov. The listing also shows no expected awards because, consistent with the purpose of an RFI, this notice is not a funding opportunity and does not make awards. For full instructions and context, ARPA-E directs readers to the complete RFI text at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov.

• 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 "Request for Information (RFI): Nonconventional Fusion Approaches and Energy Applications" 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 Mar 17, 2021.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Apr 30, 2021 Responses to this RFI should be submitted in PDF format to the email address ARPA-E-RFI@hq.doe.gov by 500 PM Eastern Time on 4/30/2021. See the RFI at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov for more information.. (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 $1.00 in funding.
• 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.

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