Updated October 28, 2026
Energy Research Grants 2026
Open energy research grants for 2026 covering hydrogen, fusion, nuclear, geothermal, batteries, and the grid, from DOE, ARPA-E, states, and foundations.
Energy research grants in 2026 come mainly from the Department of Energy, ARPA-E, and state energy agencies, with foundations and industry filling gaps, and this page lists the hydrogen, fusion, nuclear, geothermal, storage, and grid opportunities open now. Congress kept DOE's Office of Science close to level for fiscal 2026, but federal priorities have shifted sharply: nuclear energy, fusion, geothermal, critical minerals, and AI for science are in favor, while wind and solar research took the deepest cuts.
Featured grants
Updated automatically from Atom's grant database. Summaries are AI-generated.Clean Energy Career Pathways Training (PON 6121)
Clean Energy Career Pathways Training (PON 6121) supports New York residents through technical training, career preparation, and job placement programs that prepare them for entry-level clean energy careers.
Clean Energy Fellowship Program for University Participants
Clean Energy Fellowship Program for University Participants supports students’ faculty-mentored research to advance clean energy concepts, build expertise, and foster engagement with the clean energy industry.
Non-Academic Research Internships for Graduate Students in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies (Hydrogen INTERN) Supplemental Funding Opportunity
NSF offers supplemental funding for graduate student internships in hydrogen and fuel cell technologies to provide hands-on, non-academic research experience and build a skilled workforce.
Hydrogen shows how fast the ground can move. DOE canceled funding for two West Coast hydrogen hubs in October 2025, and the status of the remaining hubs has changed more than once since. For hydrogen and fuel cell researchers, the durable money tends to sit inside broader programs on catalysis, electrolysis, materials, and energy storage rather than in hydrogen-branded calls. At the same time, DOE's Genesis Mission has opened new AI-driven research funding with fusion energy among its priority challenges, and the White House's research priorities for fiscal 2027 name energy dominance and nuclear energy explicitly.
Outside Washington, state agencies such as NYSERDA and the California Energy Commission fund applied clean energy research, the Sloan Foundation supports energy and environment work, and utilities and industry consortia sponsor university projects. This collection ranks open energy research funding across all of these sources and updates as new calls post and deadlines pass, which beats tracking a program list that changes with each budget cycle.
Energy Matching Funds
Energy Matching Funds supports individuals and public and private organizations pursuing energy research, demonstration, pilot projects, and commercial deployment to benefit Wyoming.
Energy and Environment Program
The Sloan Foundation's Energy and Environment Program funds interdisciplinary research to advance the U.S. transition to low-carbon energy systems through collaborative, evidence-based scholarship.
Energy, Water, and Resource Engineering
NSF's Energy, Water, and Resource Engineering program funds research to develop innovative engineering solutions for sustainable resource management and environmental protection.
Energy, Climate, and Technology Policy Fellowship
Energy, Climate, and Technology Policy Fellowship supports researchers studying energy innovation, climate finance, governance, and resilience to inform practical policy and investment decisions.
Energy Innovation Grant Program
Energy Innovation Grant Program supports Wisconsin communities and organizations with clean energy, efficiency, storage, resilience, and planning projects to expand access to innovative energy solutions.
GFO-26-301 - Characterizing Non-Driving Electric Vehicle Energy Efficiency
GFO-26-301 - Characterizing Non-Driving Electric Vehicle Energy Efficiency supports researchers studying EV energy use outside driving to inform efficiency, customer savings, and grid planning.
New Energy Challenge
New Energy Challenge supports energy start-ups and scale-ups developing scalable technologies and digital solutions, with accelerator support and potential R&D collaboration to advance decarbonisation.
Wyoming Energy Dominance Fund
Wyoming Energy Dominance Fund supports individuals and companies pursuing energy research, demonstrations, pilots, and commercial projects to advance reliable energy and economic growth in Wyoming.
Link Foundation Fellowships And Grants In The Energy Field
The Link Foundation Fellowships and Grants in the Energy Field support doctoral research advancing innovative solutions for sustainable energy production and use.
Geopolitics of Energy Fellowship
Geopolitics of Energy Fellowship supports researchers and visiting scholars studying how energy systems and the energy transition shape global power and security, to anticipate emerging policy challenges.
Alternative and Clean Energy Program (ACE)
Alternative and Clean Energy Program (ACE) supports businesses, economic development groups, and local governments with energy production and efficiency projects to advance clean energy in Pennsylvania.
Request for Information - Gauging Investor Interest in the Development and Commercialization of Subsurface Energy Technologies
The DOE seeks feedback from investors and stakeholders on interest in partnering to develop and commercialize subsurface energy technologies in coal, oil & gas, and geothermal sectors.
FlexTech Program (PON 4192)
FlexTech Program (PON 4192) supports New York facility customers with technical assessments and fleet electrification planning to guide investments that reduce energy use, costs, and carbon emissions.
Residential and Commercial Energy Storage Program
Residential and Commercial Energy Storage Program supports Maryland households, businesses, and nonprofits with battery purchases and installation, prioritizing systems that help the grid during high demand.
Technical Skills Training and Upskilling (PON 6122)
NYSERDA’s Technical Skills Training and Upskilling grant funds projects that expand or create technical training for New York’s clean energy workforce in areas like renewables and energy efficiency.
RFP 1: Clean Energy Financing Arrangements
RFP 1: Clean Energy Financing Arrangements supports capital providers and industry participants with repayable financing to expand clean energy deployment and reduce emissions in New York State.
Energize Connecticut
Energize Connecticut supports Connecticut homes, businesses, and community outreach with energy assessments, efficiency upgrades, and clean energy improvements to save energy and expand program participation.
Frequently asked questions
The Department of Energy is the largest funder, through its hydrogen and fuel cell research programs, ARPA-E, and the Office of Science's basic energy research. Hydrogen funding has been volatile since DOE canceled two West Coast hydrogen hub awards in October 2025, so researchers increasingly find hydrogen work inside broader energy storage, catalysis, and materials programs.
Nuclear energy (both fission and fusion), geothermal, critical minerals, grid reliability, and AI for energy and science are the clearest federal priorities. DOE's Genesis Mission, launched in November 2025, funds AI-driven research with fusion among its priority challenges, while wind and solar research took the deepest cuts in fiscal 2026 appropriations.
Yes. State energy agencies such as NYSERDA and the California Energy Commission fund applied energy research, the Sloan Foundation supports energy and environment research, and utilities and industry consortia sponsor university projects. These sources are especially useful for renewable energy work that federal programs have deprioritized.
Partly. This collection focuses on energy technologies and systems. Atom's Climate and Environmental Research Grants collection covers foundation funding for climate, ocean, ecosystem, and environmental science.