Stimulate Utilization of Plentiful Energy in Rocks through High-temperature Original Technologies SBIR/STTR (SUPERHOT SBIR/STTR)
This grant supports research and development of new technologies to enable scalable, cost-effective superhot geothermal energy by improving well construction and heat transfer for baseload power in the U.S.
This grant is no longer accepting proposals
Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy has archived this opportunity.
Funder: Advanced Research Projects Agency Energy
Due Dates: February 19, 2025 (Concept paper) | March 5, 2026 (Full application) | March 31, 2026 (Reviewer replies)
Funding Amounts: Total program funding ~$30M; individual awards range from $314,363 to $4,505,859; project period up to 3 years.
Summary: Supports transformative R&D for technologies enabling scalable, long-lived superhot geothermal energy production through robust well construction and advanced heat extraction.
Key Information: Eligible only to U.S. small businesses (SBIR/STTR); no cost sharing required.
Description
This funding opportunity from ARPA-E supports research and development of transformative technologies to enable the scalable production of geothermal energy from superhot rock reservoirs (temperatures >375°C and pressures >22 MPa). The program targets innovations in well construction and heat extraction to unlock vast, underutilized domestic geothermal resources for baseload power generation. Projects should address one or both of the following technical categories: (1) robust well design and construction for superhot environments, and (2) efficient transfer of heat from the geologic formation to the well, including both fracture-based and non-fracture-based systems. The ultimate goal is to advance geothermal technologies capable of delivering cost-competitive, long-lived, and reliable energy at scale.
