The Expeditionary Energy program seeks breakthrough technologies to support the future of hybrid and expeditionary warfare. The research portfolio is balanced among basic and applied research and advanced technology development. The capability-driven investments include disruptive technologies in energy scavenging and power generation, energy storage, energy planning, and energy-efficient small-scale water purification — all to support the sustainment and logistics of Sailors and Marines deployed in austere environments.
Research Concentration Areas
Scalable energy harvesting and scavenging technologies (mW to kW)
Next-generation photovoltaics (applied research, demonstrations and scale-up)
Hydrogen as an alternative fuel for portable, light-weight applications
Logistics decision support tools relevant to energy
Beyond traditional Li-ion batteries for Navy and Marine Corps applications (including anionic redox batteries, non-Li chemistries, arctic batteries and zero-volt capable technologies)
Energy efficient water purification at expeditionary scales
Energy-efficient ferroic and multiferroic materials.
Research Challenges and Opportunities
Design and demonstrate energy scavenging technologies to passively power equipment and charge batteries for individuals and small units
Demonstrate environmentally stable, flexible, high-specific power solar cells
Investigate hydrogen and ammonia as alternative fuels for small unit applications, especially as they are derived and generated from a diversity of sources
Develop software and energy planning tools to plan for and reduce energy consumption across elements relevant to Naval operations
Research and demonstrate new, high-specific energy/power storage devices and reliable, low- to no maintenance, high-specific power generation technologies for individuals and small units, in traditional and arctic environments
Explore multiferroic materials that exhibit coupling between magnetic and ferroelectric parameters, increase logic states, and enable energy-efficient and tunable electromagnetic devices
Conduct applied research on next-generation water-purification technologies to fill the necessary gaps suitable for expeditionary scales
Type of Funding Available
✅ Basic Research
✅ Applied Research
✅ Advanced Technology Development
How to Submit
For detailed application and submission information for this research topic, please refer to our broad agency announcement (BAA) No. N0001425SB001.
Contracts: All white papers and full proposals for contracts must be submitted through the ONR Submission Portal; instructions are included in the BAA.
Grants: All white papers for grants must be submitted through the ONR Submission Portal, and full proposals for grants must be submitted through grants.gov; instructions are included in the BAA.