Reducing Emissions of Methane Every Day of the Year (REMEDY)(SBIR/STTR) | DE FOA 0002505

REMEDY (ARPA-E) SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunity - FAQs

1) What is the REMEDY funding opportunity?

REMEDY stands for Reducing Emissions of Methane Every Day of the Year. It is a Department of Energy Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) funding opportunity issued as an SBIR/STTR solicitation to support applied research and development aimed at materially reducing methane emissions from major, hard-to-control sources in the oil, gas, and coal value chain.

2) What is the main goal of the REMEDY program?

The program goal is to back high-risk, high-reward, transformational R&D that can drive deep, measurable methane reductions at scale. ARPA-E describes the intent as transformational rather than incremental, meaning projects should aim to set a new cost/performance trajectory and realistically scale into disruptive commercial solutions, not just produce small, one-off demonstrations.

3) How large is the REMEDY program and how long does it run?

REMEDY is described as a three-year research effort of approximately $35 million.

4) Which methane emission sources does REMEDY target?

REMEDY targets three sources that collectively account for at least about 10% of U.S. anthropogenic methane emissions:

• Methane slip in exhaust from natural gas-fired lean-burn engines (used for compressor stations, on-site power generation, and increasingly in marine repowering).
• Methane associated with flaring required for safety at oil and gas facilities (where incomplete combustion or operational issues can lead to methane release).
• Coal mine ventilation air methane (VAM), which is typically ultra-dilute methane exhausted continuously from operating underground mines.

5) What types of solutions is ARPA-E looking for?

ARPA-E is looking for system-level solutions that can be broadly replicated across facilities. The emphasis is not on a component that only works under narrow conditions, but on an integrated system approach that can deliver strong performance in real-world operating environments.

6) What performance targets are expected for proposed systems?

REMEDY sets aggressive system-level metrics, including expectations that proposed systems can:

• Achieve about 99.5% overall methane conversion.
• Deliver more than roughly 87% net greenhouse gas reduction on a life-cycle basis.
• Achieve a levelized cost of carbon under $40 per metric ton of CO2-equivalent.

7) What does "system-level" mean in the context of REMEDY?

Based on the FOA description, "system-level" means applicants should consider the full solution needed for dependable methane reduction in practice, including energy inputs, operating requirements, controls, and byproducts. The system must produce a strong net climate benefit and meet the cost metric in a way that makes broad deployment plausible.

8) Does REMEDY allow methane capture or conversion into products?

Yes. The FOA allows recovery of methane or conversion to higher-value products, but only if the approach still meets the stated techno-economic and environmental metrics (including the conversion efficiency, net life-cycle greenhouse gas reduction, and levelized cost of carbon targets).

9) What methane concentration ranges must solutions handle?

Solutions are required to operate reliably at lean and ultra-lean methane concentrations. This is highlighted as important because conventional combustion or catalytic approaches often struggle under these lean/ultra-lean conditions.

10) How important are measurement, sensing, and controls in REMEDY proposals?

ARPA-E emphasizes measurement and operational robustness. Proposed systems should integrate sensors and/or control algorithms that can quantify emission reductions and support consistent operation over time, accounting for real-world variability such as changes in flow rates, methane concentration, contaminants, and transient conditions.

11) Why does the FOA emphasize verifiable emissions performance?

The FOA links this emphasis to commercialization expectations, noting that buyers and regulators increasingly need credible, verifiable emissions performance rather than inferred reductions. Systems are expected to support quantification of emission reductions as part of robust operation.

12) How is the program structured (Stage 1 vs. Stage 2)?

The program is staged:

• Stage 1 is a screening phase focused on evaluating the technical approach, feasibility, and projected ability to meet the program metrics.
• Stage 2 is for projects that advance beyond Stage 1 and are expected to confirm performance with stronger evidence, such as a limited field test or a larger extended laboratory-scale demonstration.

13) What kind of award instrument does ARPA-E plan to use?

This is a discretionary funding opportunity using cooperative agreements and/or grants.

14) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to small businesses under SBIR/STTR rules.

15) What is the FOA number and CFDA listing for REMEDY?

The FOA is identified as DE-FOA-0002505 under CFDA 81.135.

16) What is the award ceiling listed for this opportunity?

The award ceiling listed is $3,721,115.

17) When was the solicitation created?

The solicitation was created on April 8, 2021.

18) What was the concept paper deadline?

The concept paper deadline was May 21, 2021 at 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time.

19) Does ARPA-E recommend submitting before the deadline?

Yes. ARPA-E encouraged submission at least 48 hours early to avoid last-minute technical issues.

20) How must applicants submit concept papers and application materials?

ARPA-E requires that concept papers and application materials be submitted through the ARPA-E eXCHANGE portal. Submissions sent by other methods are not reviewed.

21) Where can applicants find help for ARPA-E eXCHANGE portal issues?

Support resources include the eXCHANGE User Guide and help via ExchangeHelp@hq.doe.gov for portal issues.

22) Where should questions about the FOA be sent?

FOA questions are routed to ARPA-E-CO@hq.doe.gov after consulting the agency FAQ page.

23) How does REMEDY relate to other methane reduction initiatives?

The FOA states REMEDY is intended to complement, not duplicate, other efforts such as EPA's Natural Gas STAR and CMOP programs, DOE Fossil Energy flare reduction efforts, and industry-led efforts like the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative. The intent is to fill gaps where conventional programs may focus on best practices or incremental upgrades, while REMEDY pushes for breakthroughs capable of deep, measurable methane reductions across multiple high-impact, continuous emission points.

24) What does ARPA-E mean by "transformational" in this FOA?

In this context, ARPA-E indicates applicants are expected to propose approaches that could reset the cost/performance trajectory and scale into disruptive commercial solutions, rather than provide incremental improvements or limited demonstrations.