Water Power Technologies Office Funding Opportunity

Water Power Technologies Office Funding Opportunity is sponsored by U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). This opportunity supports programs that accelerate commercialization and adoption of water power systems, aiding small businesses in hydropower and marine energy. While not exclusively AI-focused, it can include AI-driven solutions for ocean technology.

The Hydropower and Hydrokinetic Office (H2O) is advancing cutting-edge technology with research and a range of competitive opportunities—such as hydropower grants or marine energy technical assistance—to modernize the U.S. hydropower fleet and drive U.S. leadership in marine energy, with the goal of delivering low-cost, reliable power, and resiliency to the nation's electricity grids.

Types of funding announcements include: Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) , formerly Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs) Notice of Technical Assistance (NOTA) Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer Programs (SBIR/STTR) Seedling and Sapling Program Technology Area Type of Funding Solicitation Title Open Date Close Date Marine Energy Fellowship Marine Energy Fellowship Summer 2027 Cohort: September 2026 Summer 2027 Cohort: TBA Fall 2027 Cohort: December 2026 Fall 2027 Cohort: TBA Hydropower Technical Support Voucher Opportunity 6 - Hydropower Testing Network (HyTN) 6/16/2026 7/23/2026 Hydropower Technical Support Hydropower Technical Collaboration Program 4/30/2024 Rolling Marine Energy Technical Support Request Technical Support from the Testing Expertise and Access for Marine Energy Research Program Rolling Rolling For other DOE funding and technical assistance opportunities that may be relevant for water power technologies, H2O recommends looking into the following offices: H2O manages DOE’s three hydroelectric incentive programs : the Hydroelectric Production Incentives , the Hydroelectric Efficiency Improvement Incentives , and the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentives .

The Loan Programs Office offers four distinct loan programs to finance a wide array of energy infrastructure projects across the country. Water power projects may be eligible for DOE loan guarantees, especially under the Innovative Clean Energy Loan Guarantee Program or the Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program.

The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) is a multi-technology office with funding for demonstration programs that could support hydropower or marine energy technologies. OCED partners with private sector entities to accelerate market adoption of innovative energy technologies, including long-duration storage technologies such as pumped storage hydropower.

The Office of Cybersecurity, Energy Security, and Emergency Response supports development and deployment of advanced cyber applications, technologies, and threat collaboration efforts with the U.S. energy sector. The Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains works to strengthen manufacturing and energy supply chains needed to modernize the nation’s energy infrastructure.

DOE’s Technology Commercialization Fund leverages R&D funding in the applied energy programs, paired with private partners, to mature promising energy technologies with high impact potential. In addition, DOE's Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs provides financial and technical assistance, education, and training to tribes for the evaluation and development of renewable energy resources on tribal lands.

If you are interested in applying for funding, but your project does not fit within the scope of the posted solicitations, please submit your proposal to DOE's Unsolicited Proposal Office .