Vouchers Overview

The road to commercialization and deployment is full of obstacles beyond technology development and demonstration. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) wants to assist industry and other nontraditional partners in overcoming adoption barriers through targeted research, development, demonstration, deployment, and commercialization support in the form of voucher projects.

In partnership with EnergyWerx, DOE offers support to increase adoption readiness of new technologies through selected Voucher Providers (to include National Laboratories and private sector entities) and facilitating the identification and matching of capabilities to Voucher Recipients who need support in overcoming their energy adoption challenges.

EnergyWerx will directly pay the Voucher Provider for the work they have completed to the benefit of the Voucher Recipients. The Voucher Recipient does not receive any funding from DOE nor from the Voucher Provider. Instead, the recipient receives the capability they applied for from the Voucher Providers at no cost.

Voucher Program - Mechanism

Flow diagram showing a voucher program process from left to right.

Left section, “Voucher PROVIDER Selection”: Providers define capabilities and pricing. The U.S. Department of Energy reviews, selects, and catalogs provider capabilities. A “Capabilities” graphic highlights three areas: Testing & Validation Support, Commercialization Support, and Permitting & Siting Support.

Middle section, “Voucher RECIPIENT Selection with Match to PROVIDER CAPABILITIES”: Recipients apply for specific capabilities. The U.S. Department of Energy reviews applications, selects recipients, and matches them with provider capabilities.

Right section, “Voucher Execution MATCHES PROVIDER supports RECIPIENT”: Three example project types—Commercialization Project, Testing & Validation Project, and Permitting & Siting Project—show providers supporting recipients, with voucher funding flowing from recipient to provider and support delivered back to the recipient.

Process Overview:

Voucher Provider Selection
- Opportunity is announced, application submission period opened.
- Informational Webinars and Q&A sessions give interested participants an opportunity to learn more about the opportunity and to ask questions.
- Applicants submit capability statement, including the required funding level and the capacity (i.e., number of vouchers you can fulfill)
- Meritorious capabilities are selected and included in the marketplace as potential voucher providers.
Voucher Recipient Selection & Matching to Voucher Provider Capabilities
- Opportunity is announced, application submission period opened.
- Informational Webinars and Q&A sessions give interested participants an opportunity to learn more about the opportunity and to ask questions.
- Applicants submit a needs request, including preferences for matching to selected Voucher Providers and capabilities.
- Meritorious applications are selected as potential Voucher Recipients.
- Matches between selected Voucher Providers and Voucher Recipients determined by DOE according to needs request preferences.
Voucher Execution
- Voucher Providers execute according to their agreement, provide support to Voucher Recipient(s), and report back to DOE on project deliverables and outcomes.

Two-column graphic explaining eligibility for a voucher program.

Left column (blue header): “You may be Eligible as a Voucher PROVIDER if you offer…” followed by bullet points: testing and validation support; commercialization support; permitting and siting support; other relevant support. Below, “Examples of Voucher PROVIDERS” include: independent engineering and consulting firms; private labs and testing facilities; certification bodies; testing and validation centers; nonprofit entities or consultants with regulatory and permitting expertise; incubators and accelerators; national labs.

Right column (purple header): “You may be Eligible as a Voucher RECIPIENT if you need…” followed by bullet points: certification testing; supply chain or manufacturing assessments; permitting process improvements; deployment assistance; other relevant support. Below, “Examples of Voucher RECIPIENTS” include: companies developing new technology; companies scaling production; small businesses supporting clean energy infrastructure; local governments working on siting and permitting of clean energy projects; municipalities, community development organizations, and utilities interested in deploying energy storage.

Diagram titled “Capabilities” showing three overlapping circles labeled “Testing & Validation Support,” “Commercialization Support,” and “Permitting & Siting Support.” To the right, “Match Examples” lists: Performance Testing Support (Energy Storage Company, Testing Laboratory), Process Improvement Support (Local Permitting Organization, Engineering Firm), and Technoeconomic Analysis Support (Nuclear Company, Market Analytics Firm).

Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking suggestions and feedback regarding the Voucher Program: Please Submit Your Feedback Here