DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers
Backs research teams and institutions for DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers in energy systems, materials science, and quantum systems.
The DOE Office of Science Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) program, administered by the Office of Basic Energy Sciences, funds multi-investigator, multi-institutional research center consortia addressing fundamental scientific challenges in energy. The program was launched in 2009 and has funded 107 centers across 43 states and Washington D.C. through seven biennial competition cycles. Centers are hosted at universities or DOE national laboratories and assemble teams of investigators across disciplines. The FY2026 competition (8th class) operates under FOA DE-FOA-0003614, posted February 18, 2026.
Historically, each EFRC receives approximately $3 million to $4 million per year over a four-year grant term, totaling roughly $12 million to $16 million per center. The FY2026 competition targets research areas including advanced manufacturing, energy storage, environmental management, hydrogen, microelectronics, nuclear science, quantum information science, separations, solar energy, and subsurface science. The 2024 class (7th cycle) selected 10 new centers alongside 34 continuing centers for 44 active EFRCs. Pre-applications for the FY2026 cycle were due April 1, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. ET via PAMS, and were required. Full applications are due July 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET via PAMS.
For-profit companies are not eligible as lead applicants; centers must be hosted at a university or DOE national laboratory. Multi-investigator consortia with participants from multiple institutions are the expected structure. Applicants should obtain the FOA PDF (DE-FOA-0003614) for exact page limits, scoring rubric, and annual funding caps. Because only encouraged pre-applicants may proceed to full application, teams whose April 1 pre-application was not submitted are ineligible for the FY2026 cycle. The next biennial competition is expected in 2028. PAMS helpdesk: sc.pams-helpdesk@science.doe.gov, (855) 818-1846.
Basic energy sciences research — including energy storage, advanced manufacturing, hydrogen, quantum information, solar energy, and nuclear — conducted by multi-investigator, multi-institutional center consortia.
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