# Fiscal Year 2025 Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/de-foa-0003460-fiscal-year-2025-solar-module-and-solar-hardware/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/358077

> Golden Field Office offered grants of up to $4.0 million (at least $1.0 million) to small businesses and businesses. It expected to make about 10 awards worth $20.0 million in total. Applications closed on May 30, 2025.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | DE-FOA-0003460 |
| Agency | Golden Field Office |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | May 30, 2025 |
| Award ceiling | $4.0 million |
| Award floor | $1.0 million |
| Expected awards | 10 |
| Total funding | $20.0 million |
| Cost sharing | required |
| Assistance Listings | 81.087 |

## Who can apply

- For profit organizations other than small businesses
- Small businesses

## What the grant funds

SMASH Incubator seeks to address the lack of sufficient private investment that is available to successfully commercialize the output of research, development, and demonstration activities and bring innovative solar photovoltaic (PV) technology to market. Specifically, projects funded through this NOFO will encourage innovations in solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing across the supply chain, with the aim of reducing U.S. reliance on imported materials and technologies. This NOFO also encourages the development of new solar hardware and technology for domestic use and potential export. These activities are expected to deliver jobs and economic growth in the clean energy sector, while increasing national energy security. Topic Area 1 seeks to conduct early-stage pilot-scale testing and demonstration of innovative processes or products that can substantively increase domestic manufacturing in all segments of the crystalline silicon solar module supply chain. Each segment also includes the manufacturing equipment used in that segment, input materials for that segment, process control and characterization tools, and consumables used in that segment, which today are predominantly made outside the United States. Topic Area 2 aims to support the cadmium telluride (CdTe) PV industry, an increasingly valuable part of the U.S. economy and leading domestic renewable energy technology. All segments of the CdTe PV module supply chain are of interest, including improvements in materials, processes, manufacturing, components, metrology, demonstration, recycling, and reclamation. Topic Area 3 is focused on R&D and demonstration activities with the goal of de-risking new non-module PV components and manufacturing processes, while developing and validating a realistic pathway to commercial success. This includes structural and electrical components and tools that can be made domestically and improve performance, functionality, reliability, or ease of installation for PV systems.

## Questions people ask

### Is DE-FOA-0003460 still open?

No. It closed on May 30, 2025. A newer notice is open: DE-FOA-0003647, closes December 1, 2026 (24 days left).

### Who can apply for Fiscal Year 2025 Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator?

Golden Field Office accepted applications from small businesses and businesses.

### What is the deadline for Fiscal Year 2025 Solar Module and Solar Hardware (SMASH) Incubator?

Closed May 30, 2025. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $4.0 million each. About $20.0 million in total across about 10 awards.

### Who has won Renewable Energy Research and Development grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were Oregon State University, University of Utah, Avapco LLC. The program made 900 awards worth $2.5 billion in that time.