DOE Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) banner graphic

SCEP Spark ☆ December 2024

DOE Office of State and Community Energy Programs sent this bulletin at 12/19/2024 06:00 PM EST

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

December 19, 2024 Sign Up for SCEP Updates

Welcome to the SCEP Spark. Get ready for a lightning-fast update on the latest news happening at U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP). 

Read time: ~3 minutes

ICYMI - Open Opportunities:

Applications open for the Community Energy Connectors initiative: a part of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program. This $6 million opportunity aims to support 5-10 regional organizations, led by an administrator, that will serve as hubs to foster a local network to support sustained energy efficiency, conservation, and economic development by providing direct technical assistance to EECBG Program grantees. Learn more details by visiting the Energywerx webpage here, and apply by January 28th, 2025.

2025 Renew America’s Schools Prize: Applications are now open for the third round of funding from the Renew America's Schools Program, a $90 million investment in local educational agencies (LEAs). The 2025 Prize aims to help school communities make high-impact infrastructure upgrades to lower utilities costs, improve indoor air quality, and foster healthier learning environments. Learn more details about the opportunity here and apply by April 3rd, 2025.

ICYMI - Announcements & Resources

BUILT Nonprofits Selectees Announced: On December 19th, DOE announced $2 million to improve energy efficiency in nonprofits across 17 states! This initiative reflects DOE’s ongoing commitment to support community-based organizations and help nonprofits do more for their communities by spending less on energy. Learn more about the 22 community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits that will receive up to $100,000 each to support building improvement projects that reduce energy use and generate short and long-term energy cost savings.

Home Energy Rebates Update: As of December 19th, 10 states and the District of Columbia have launched rebate programs for their residents. These programs can save consumers up to $14,000 on energy-saving upgrades for their homes. Twenty-eight additional states have applied to DOE for full funding to launch their programs. Check out the status of states’ rebates programs using DOE’s interactive map.

Communities LEAP Pilot Report Released: The final report details the various technical assistance phases of the program, highlights the successes across the participating communities, and discusses lessons learned that will be carried forward. Learn more about Communities LEAP and explore the report here.

Newly Published Report - Financing Opportunities for State and Local Governments To Improve Efficiency Across the Residential Sector - This report will help state and local decision makers understand which financing mechanisms are best-positioned to serve different residential market segments. Leveraging financing supports the necessary upgrades that will transition residential homes to low-carbon emissions, save families money, drive improvements in health outcomes, update aging infrastructure, and spur investment in workforce and economic development.

Upcoming Webinars & Virtual Office Hours: Explore the State and Local Solution Center Events to register for an upcoming webinar or office hours session.

SCEP ENGAGED:

We are excited to share highlights of SCEP leaders and staff connecting with stakeholders on the ground.

Utah's Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) Driving Savings Utah’s Workforce Services, Housing & Community Development Team shared the positive impacts of the Utah Weatherization program with Principal Deputy Director, Keishaa Austin’s during her recent visit. They toured the Intermountain Weatherization Training Center which provides state-of-the-art training to Weatherization technicians for making existing homes more energy efficient. Utah has weatherized an average of 444 homes per year saving participating households nearly 35 percent in savings.

Montana's State Energy Program At Work The Montana Department of Environmental Quality, Energy Bureau shared how their programs benefit Montana's with Principal Deputy Director, Keishaa Austin in a recent visit. They toured the first renewable project apart of the State Building’s Energy Conservation Program which has provided an estimated $2.53 million in annual energy cost savings from electricity, natural gas, and water utilities in state-owned buildings. As part of a museum expansion project on the State Capitol complex in Helena, a state-of-the-art solar array has been installed on the roof top of the Montana Heritage Center Museum.

Explore the impact of each state's Weatherization Assistance Program and State Energy Program impacts at the Project Map.

SCEP in the News:

Extra, extra read all about it! SCEP programs are covered in local and national news media, here are a few articles to catch you up to speed.

Follow SCEP on LinkedIn

Reference to any media outlet, organization, or company is not an endorsement or recommendation by the U.S. Government or the Department of Energy. DOE is not responsible for the contents of other websites.

DOE Facebook

Energy Saver Facebook

DOE Twitter

DOE YouTube

SCEP LinkedIn

Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact support@govdelivery.com.

You are receiving this email because you signed up for updates from the U.S. Department of Energy. Visit the website at energy.gov.