December SCEP State and Local Spotlight ⚡💰

2023 is coming to a close. That means the holiday season is in full swing. The music of the holiday fills the air – and my ears. Peace on Earth. Goodwill to all. There are a lot of things that I love about the holiday season. It is the end of the year which allows for reflection. We hopefully get to think about some of the good things that we did during the prior months, while having the opportunity to commit to do even more in the months to come. I am extremely proud of the accomplishments of SCEP this year – and there were many.

This year marked SCEP’s first full year as a federal program office, charged with enhancing clean energy growth and resilience in states, local and Tribal communities, schools, nonprofits, community serving institutions and more. Our ability to cultivate clean energy opportunities is a direct result of the historic investments that have poured into communities through formula grants, competitive grants, awards and expertise-building and training to equip American people, businesses, and industry to forge ahead in the clean energy transition.

We are just getting started in making groundbreaking advances to secure a better future for everyone.

The Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) was charged up in 2023. This year marks SCEP’s first full year deploying historic clean energy investments to enable place-based clean energy projects that aim to catalyze local economic development and create jobs, reduce energy costs, and avoid pollution. This was a year of powering up from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to enact monumental opportunities for states and communities to forge ahead in the clean energy transition. By the end of the year, SCEP released all of its BIL and IRA funding opportunities.

SCEP has been charged to center the needs of energy-burdened, low-income, and disadvantaged communities experiencing either direct environmental justice impacts, or direct economic impacts from a shift away from historical reliance on fossil fuels by providing support and capacity to navigate opportunities that will ultimately lead to better outcomes.

Energy Earthshots™ are the frontiers of the clean energy transition. They are technical and cost targets in next-generation clean energy technologies that DOE knows will be needed to address climate change. Together, these goals are accelerating research, development, and demonstration breakthroughs of more abundant, affordable, and reliable clean energy solutions by 2035 and transforming the energy economy. Achieving these goals will improve Americans’ lives, creating quality jobs, and transforming homes, environments, and livelihoods.

Further, Energy Earthshots™ represent a commitment to the collaborative research and development (R&D) powering the energy transition. DOE is working to expand the solution set and give communities more technologies and more options. When achieved, these targets will support the private-sector launch of new clean energy industries, help create quality jobs, lower energy costs for families across the country, and avoid hundreds of millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

DOE is committed to working alongside communities to create a cleaner, more resilient future for all. The Office of Community Engagement (OCE), established by Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, marks a significant step forward in our efforts to empower communities and accelerate the adoption of clean energy solutions.

OCE serves as the central hub for DOE's engagement efforts, providing a consolidated platform for communities to access comprehensive technical assistance and guidance on clean energy development. Fostering collaboration among DOE program offices and external stakeholders, OCE helps connect communities with the expertise they need to advance their clean energy goals. OCE fosters cohesion and ensures that all stakeholders have access to the full spectrum of DOE's resources, including those that have not traditionally had access to the Department’s assistance.

The Biden-Harris Administration invested $8.8 billion in the Home Energy Rebates, which will provide two separate rebates to consumers: Home Efficiency Rebates and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates.

To help support this, the DOE has released the following resources to help state and territorial energy offices apply for and implement their Home Efficiency Rebates program under the Inflation Reduction Act's Home Energy Rebates.

• Home Efficiency Rebates: Sample Application Responses and Guidance
• Sample Application for the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates
• Implementation Request for Proposal Guidance
• Measured Path Incentive Payment Calculator

DOE announced that up to $530 million in technical assistance competitive grants is available for the adoption and implementation of the latest model energy codes, zero energy codes, building performance standards, and innovative codes that achieve equivalent energy savings to the latest model and zero energy codes. This Latest and Zero Building Energy Codes Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is open to states, territories, and units of local government that have the authority to adopt building codes. This new competitive funding opportunity expands the pool of eligible grantees to include certain localities and expands qualifying activities to include customized codes and innovative code approaches such as building performance standards. These funding streams are designed to provide flexibility in response to the broad variety of jurisdictional circumstances, allowing eligible grantees to pursue a pathway that fits their state and local context.

Eligible states, territories, or units of local governments with the authority to adopt building codes can submit brief concept papers, which are required, by February 9, 2024, to be eligible to submit their full applications by April 30, 2024.

The State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grants, also known as Training for Residential Energy Contractors (TREC), will provide States the ability to develop and implement a state workforce energy program that prepares workers to deliver energy efficiency, electrification, and clean energy improvements, including those covered under the Home Efficiency Rebates and the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates. This $150 million funding aims to attract and educate new workers in the energy efficiency industry, train and empower existing workers, and support business owners to make homes healthier and more energy efficient, which are key to advancing the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic climate agenda and Bidenomics strategy for growing the economy from the middle out and bottom up.

Applications are due by January 31, 2024, to be considered for this formula funding grant.

DOE is now accepting applications for competitive funding to upskill the workforce with energy efficiency certifications. The Energy Auditor Training program (EAT) will provide up to $40 million in grants for states to train individuals to conduct energy audits or surveys of commercial and residential buildings. EAT is part of a concerted effort at DOE to invest in a clean energy workforce that will implement the $8.8 billion Home Energy Rebate Programs and other energy efficiency programs to help homeowners, state and local governments, and businesses save money and fight climate change.

The deadline to submit concept papers is March 28, 2024. Full applications need to be submitted by June 28, 2024. Apply now!

DOE’s Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) competitive grant for Enhancement and Innovation provides $25 million in competitive funding for WAP Grantees and Subgrantees (state, local, or Tribal governments) and non-profit organizations, with a $2 million maximum per award. Applications should aim to expand the impact of DOE's existing residential weatherization programs by utilizing leveraged resources and enhanced community partnerships to perform deep energy retrofits of low-income residential buildings and empower local community representation within the energy workforce. DOE seeks proposals that drive innovative approaches to program coordination and service delivery, while fostering the collaboration of dynamic and diverse teams. Applicants can apply for one of the following three topic areas: Multifamily Housing; Single Family and Manufactured Housing; and Workforce Development. DOE is looking for projects that demonstrate their potential to be scaled nationally, enhance the benefits realized by underserved communities, and accelerate an equitable transition to a clean-energy economy.

Apply by January 5, 2024 to be considered.

DOE’s Energy Efficiency Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Programs supports funding and placement for Community Energy Fellowship. It will match 25-35 recent graduates and mid-career clean energy professionals with EECBG Program formula-eligible local and Tribal governments. By hosting a Fellow, local and Tribal governments will bolster their EECBG Program Projects, gain new perspectives, and accelerate the national transition to resilient and affordable clean energy. Fellows will build experience in public sector clean energy deployment at the community level. They may work on projects in areas including energy efficiency, electric vehicle technology, renewable energy, and more!

EECBG-eligible local governments and Tribes may apply to host a Community Energy Fellow to support their EECBG Program projects. Applications to host a Fellow will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning January 22, 2024. The final host application due date is March 5, 2024. Further, EECBG Program applications must be submitted by January 31, 2024, in order for the application to host a Fellow be considered. The application deadline for local governments and Tribes not applying to host a Fellow is April 30, 2024.

State & local governments, K-12 school districts, universities, hospitals, and other public sector building owners are invited to join the ESPC Campaign to connect with DOE technical assistance resources and share and demonstrate best practice approaches for ESPC projects and programs that improve energy efficiency, cut costs, create local jobs, and align communities with their environmental goals.
 
This session will introduce organizations to the program goals and offerings for the coming year. We invite all ESPC Campaign partners and organizations interested in learning more about the ESPC Campaign to tune in for this kickoff celebration and info session. Use the link here to register and share with others!

Atlantic hurricane season in the United States starts on June 1 and ends on November 30 and frequently devastates the residents that lay in its wake. In preparation, Florida's Emergency Support Function (ESF-19) Fuels at the State Emergency Operations Center are responsible for coordinating the State Emergency Response Team (SERT) responses in Florida. This involves cooperating with private sector providers of energy and transportation fuels, including propane, fuel oil, diesel, and gasoline.

During emergencies, the ESF-19 focuses on monitoring and communicating with suppliers and distributors to ensure that adequate amounts of fuel are delivered to support emergency response. This program was funded in part by DOE’s State Energy Program, which emphasizes the state's role as the decision-maker and administrator for program activities within their state that are tailored to their unique resources, delivery capacity, energy security and energy goals. To coordinate relief efforts and restore normal service, ESF-19 works by communicating with the public government agencies and direct emergency personnel. They provide current fuel shortage and supply information to the SEOC so actions can be orchestrated to minimize the damage. While the ESF-19 program is unique to Florida, states up the east coast have come up with unique solutions on how to prepare for hurricane damage to energy grids.

Thoughtful, targeted innovation and deployment of emerging energy technologies are key to unlocking a promising clean energy future. To support this effort, the South Carolina Energy Office’s (SCEO) competitive Mini-Grant Program supports high-impact demonstration projects that serve as successful examples of emerging technologies and innovative approaches. Projects involve energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean transportation leading to reduced carbon emissions and high energy cost savings.

SCEO’s Mini-Grant Program is a funding opportunity that awards grants of up to $10,000 to install highly visible demonstration projects that generate significant cost and energy savings. They simultaneously encourage awareness of emerging technologies and innovative approaches to energy efficiency, renewable energy, or clean transportation within the state. The program, started in 2015, is open to both state and local agencies, state municipalities, public colleges, school districts, and nonprofit organizations. Cost-sharing by awardees is not required, but SCEO encourages leveraging funds to amplify the scope and benefits to support whole communities.

SCEO’s Mini-Grant Program is a prime example of innovative program design and highlights how targeted clean energy investments can generate positive impacts on communities. DOE, through the State Energy Program, looks forward to continuing its support for the Mini-Grant Program and other SCEO programs and initiatives to promote clean, efficient, and affordable energy for South Carolina communities and residents.

DOE’s Grid Deployment Office (GDO) published fiscal year 2024 (FY24) grant allocation amounts and released a Notice of Intent (NOI) for the FY24 Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants. Eligible entities such as states, territories, and federally recognized Indian tribes, including Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Alaska Native Village Corporations are encouraged to apply. The application period will open with the issuance of an amended Administrative and Legal Requirements Document (ALRD) providing instructions for FY24 grant allocation requests. Supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and administered by GDO, these grants help modernize the electric grid to reduce the impacts of climate-driven extreme weather and natural disasters while also ensuring the reliability of the power sector.

As of December 2023, DOE has awarded a total of more than $750 million in FY22/23 grants to participating states and tribal entities, providing clean electricity, decreasing energy costs, and keeping the lights on for millions of Americans across the country.

Under the Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program, as amended by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the DOE’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) can finance certain eligible projects that receive meaningful financial support or credit enhancements from State Energy Financing Institutions (SEFIs). SEFI-supported projects are exempt from Title 17’s technological innovation requirement. While each determination is made on a case-by-case basis, this blog outlines and discusses potentially eligible sources of SEFI “financial support or credit enhancements” and provides guidance on LPO’s criteria for assessing “meaningfulness” of SEFI support.

LPO led a webinar about SEFI called “How State Energy Financing Institutions Are Designing Programs in Partnership with LPO.” The speakers included senior leaders at CT Green Bank, NYSERDA, New York Green Bank, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. It focused on how each state is working with LPO to design their programs. LPO also discussed how it looks at meaningful financial support in the context of how State Energy Financing Institutions-supported projects can qualify for LPO financing.

To learn more, watch the recording of the webinar.

The Better Project and Better Practice Awards recognize partners for innovative and industry-leading accomplishments in implementing decarbonization, energy and water efficiency, or waste reduction projects and/or practices. The Better Project Award recognizes outstanding accomplishments at individual facilities, and the Better Practice Award recognizes the implementation of practices and procedures more broadly. Meet the 2023 award winners and learn more about these awards and the eligibility requirements.

Better Buildings Initiative partners can nominate their organization by downloading and completing the application form and emailing it to betterbuildings@ee.doe.gov. Nominations must be received no later than January 16, 2024.

The University of New Hampshire is an organization that recognizes the need for clean energy finance training for lending professionals. In 2020, with $1.2 million in funding from the DOE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), its Carsey School of Public Policy partnered with the Inclusiv Center for Resiliency and Clean Energy to develop the Solar and Green Lending Professional Training.

The Solar and Green Lending Professional Training is an 8-week, instructor-led, virtual program open to community-based lending institutions. Lending professionals learn to develop new solar and green lending products, collaborate with partners to provide solar and green financing, and deploy new loans or investments. Once lenders complete the program, the alumni network provides them with ongoing support including regular workshops, a peer sharing site, and tangible tools including guidebooks, sample loan policies, and workbooks. Interested lenders are invited to learn more. Upcoming classes will be announced in early 2024.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change Grants program (Community Change Grants) has announced a Notice of Funding Opportunity for approximately $2 billion dollars in Inflation Reduction Act funds in environmental and climate justice activities to benefit disadvantaged communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the Inflation Reduction Act for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments.

Apply today for this Grant. Applications close November 21, 2024.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced new initiatives to address the challenges posed by the climate crisis and ensure that low- and moderate-income households and communities can benefit from a clean energy transition. These announcements include a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the DOE to work together on domestic efforts to reduce carbon emissions in the building sector and to cut costs for consumers through energy efficiency improvements. HUD also announced that it was joining the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP), to guide and contribute to the U.S. government's scientific research on global climate change and ensure that state-of-the art research and data on climate change benefits the people and communities that HUD serves.

Also, HUD has made its Energy and Water Benchmarking Service available for properties participating in its Multifamily project-based rental assistance programs. This new, free service provides participating multifamily property owners with data on energy and water consumption at their properties. The data provided will aid property owners in identifying opportunities for energy efficiency improvements that can benefit residents and promote green investments in individual properties or entire property portfolios.