Request for Information (RFI): Reducing Environmental Methane Everyday of the Year (REMEDY) | DE FOA 0002419

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - ARPA-E REMEDY RFI (DE-FOA-0002419)

What is this opportunity?

This is a Department of Energy ARPA-E Request for Information (RFI) titled "Reducing Environmental Methane Everyday of the Year (REMEDY)" under Funding Opportunity Number DE-FOA-0002419. It is a request for technical and programmatic input to inform a possible future research and development program focused on methane mitigation.

Is this a funding opportunity for grants or cooperative agreements?

No. This RFI is not a funding call and it is not requesting grant or cooperative agreement applications. It is an information-gathering effort to help ARPA-E shape a potential future program.

What is ARPA-E trying to accomplish with the REMEDY RFI?

The central objective is to identify technologies that could help reverse methane's atmospheric accumulation rate so that overall atmospheric methane concentrations begin to decline rather than continue to rise.

What kinds of ideas is ARPA-E looking for?

ARPA-E is seeking ideas that are both transformative and realistically implementable, with a clear emphasis on achieving meaningful methane outcomes at scale.

What are the main technical categories described in the RFI?

The RFI frames the technical space in three broad categories: (1) prevention of methane emissions before release to the atmosphere, (2) abatement at the source from identifiable outlets (stacks, vents, leaks), and (3) removal of methane from the air (diffuse emissions and atmospheric methane).

What does "prevention of methane emissions" mean in this RFI?

Prevention refers to stopping methane from escaping into the atmosphere from human activities before it is released. The RFI highlights large and persistent sources where prevention can be difficult but impactful, including improperly abandoned coal mines, abandoned oil and gas wells, and even "plugged" wells that still leak. It also points to uncontrolled landfill gas and agricultural emissions tied to farming and ruminant livestock.

Is ARPA-E only interested in energy-related methane?

The RFI emphasizes energy-related methane as a priority area, but it also signals openness to solutions that can be applied across multiple sectors, as long as they intervene upstream (before atmospheric release) and achieve meaningful methane outcomes.

What does "abatement at the source" mean in the REMEDY RFI?

Abatement at the source refers to systems that address methane coming from identifiable outlets such as stacks, vents, and leaks. The RFI notes that methane streams may have steady or highly variable flow rates and methane concentrations, and conditions may range from ambient temperatures to elevated temperatures above 200 C.

What kind of abatement solutions does ARPA-E prefer?

ARPA-E encourages "system-level" solutions rather than isolated components. The RFI explicitly calls out integrated approaches that combine methane collection or capture hardware, a reactor or conversion unit, and monitoring and control systems, indicating interest in end-to-end designs suitable for real-world deployment and operations.

What does "removal of methane from the air" mean here?

Removal targets diffuse emissions and atmospheric methane rather than point sources. Examples in the RFI include enhancing oxidation reactions in the troposphere, promoting mineralization pathways (including biological oxidation of methane to CO2) in soils, and approaches that recover methane for use as a fuel or chemical feedstock.

Can a single technology fit more than one category?

Yes. The RFI notes that some technologies may span categories. For example, biologically enhancing methanotrophs could potentially be used to prevent emissions in mines, abate emissions at leak points, and remove methane from air in appropriate settings.

Why does ARPA-E mention oxidizing methane to CO2?

ARPA-E states a preference for oxidation of methane to CO2 because methane is a much more potent greenhouse gas than CO2 over common time horizons. Converting methane to CO2 can yield a net climate benefit if it is done efficiently and without creating other harms.

What performance theme does ARPA-E emphasize across the RFI?

A major theme is rigorous performance and lifecycle accounting. ARPA-E indicates interest in processes that reduce methane emissions by greater than 90 percent on a lifecycle basis, not merely at the device boundary.

What does "lifecycle basis" mean in the context of this RFI?

In this RFI, lifecycle basis means accounting for the broader system impacts beyond the device itself, including inputs such as energy and water and the overall net greenhouse gas reduction rather than just the conversion efficiency at a single piece of equipment.

What inputs does ARPA-E expect respondents to quantify?

The RFI indicates that respondents are expected to quantify inputs such as energy and water, implying that solutions with large energy penalties or heavy water use may be less competitive.

How does ARPA-E intend to compare methane-focused approaches with other climate controls?

The RFI explains that its cost and water metrics are designed to allow comparisons between methane-focused approaches and more established CO2 control processes, suggesting ARPA-E is considering how methane solutions compete within broader greenhouse gas mitigation portfolios.

What are the RFI's stated performance targets?

The RFI lists targets including: (1) net greenhouse gas reduction greater than 90 percent based on lifecycle analysis using 100-year global warming potentials for all relevant species, (2) freshwater consumption less than 3 cubic meters per ton of CO2-equivalent mitigated, and (3) no emission of toxic or environmentally harmful substances.

What is the economic target mentioned in the RFI?

The RFI sets an economic target of a methane reduction cost of $150 per ton of CO2-equivalent.

Is there a scale target for approaches that recover or beneficially use methane?

Yes. For technologies that recover or beneficially use methane, ARPA-E states that such technologies need to demonstrate an ability to address at least 1 billion standard cubic feet per year economically, indicating interest in solutions capable of material, sector-level impact rather than niche deployment.

Are there environmental constraints besides greenhouse gas reduction?

Yes. The RFI specifies a target of no emission of toxic or environmentally harmful substances and includes a freshwater consumption target (less than 3 cubic meters per ton of CO2-equivalent mitigated).

What type of opportunity is this administratively?

The document is categorized under discretionary funding and lists potential future instruments as cooperative agreements or grants, with an activity category of science and technology research and development (CFDA 81.135). However, the RFI itself is informational and not a solicitation for funding.

Who is eligible to respond to the RFI?

Eligibility is described as unrestricted, meaning any type of entity could generally provide input, subject to any clarifications in the full RFI text.

Does this RFI expect awards or selections?

No. The opportunity shows no expected awards because the document is purely informational and not a solicitation for funding.

When was the RFI created and when did it close?

The RFI was created on September 21, 2020, with an original closing date of October 15, 2020.

Where can the full REMEDY RFI be found?

The full RFI is available through ARPA-E's funding opportunity portal at https://arpa-e-foa.energy.gov, where ARPA-E typically provides detailed instructions on the technical data, deployment concepts, and cost or lifecycle assumptions it wants respondents to include.

What kind of operating conditions should abatement solutions be prepared to handle?

The RFI notes that real-world methane streams can vary widely in flow rate and methane concentration, and that temperature conditions may range from ambient to elevated temperatures above 200 C, implying solutions should be robust across operating environments.