The DOE has $3.8 billion in renewable power funding: 3 grant choices

The Division of Power has $97 billion in funds out there for clear power candidates. $25 billion of that whole is housed throughout the Workplace of Clear Power Demonstrations (OCED), with a mission to accomplice with the non-public sector to ship clear power demonstration initiatives that may speed up the transition to a decarbonized power system. OCED oversees regional clear hydrogen hubs, carbon administration initiatives and long-duration power storage demonstration initiatives, amongst many others.

As we speak, we’ll deal with three particular grants housed throughout the DOE, totaling $3.8 billion: The Battery Supplies Processing Grant; the Distributed Power Methods Demonstration grant; and the MAKE-IT Prizet. Under, every grant is listed from the quantity of funding out there onwards, how a lot funding it gives, which applied sciences and companies are eligible to use and the notable dates within the course of.

Battery Supplies Processing Grant

Housed throughout the Workplace of Manufacturing and Power Provide Chains, the Battery Supplies Processing Grants are designed to shore up the battery manufacturing provide chain inside the USA. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Regulation, the grant is in its second spherical of purposes and has as much as $3 billion to help the creation or retrofitting of economic battery amenities that particularly work on battery supplies, battery parts and battery cell manufacturing.

Eligible candidates embody battery supplies processors, battery element producers, cell producers and battery recyclers. 

Timeline

The Discover of Intent for the second spherical of this grant was launched Aug. 31, with the deadline for each the preliminary idea paper submission deadline and full software deadline nonetheless undetermined. A DOE official informed GreenBiz that suggestions to unsuccessful candidates is offered, and an applicant can nonetheless determine to submit a full software ought to they make changes to their preliminary idea papers. 

Distributed Power Methods Demonstration (DES)

DOE introduced the Distributed Power Methods Demonstrations grant, which has as much as $50 million from the IRA for 2 to 4 chosen initiatives. OCED will choose candidates that exhibit dependable grid operations with larger contributions from distributed power assets than beforehand validated. Particularly, in accordance with a DOE official, utility operators and different third-party entities which might be aggregators of various sources of renewable power that come onto the grid. Boiled right down to layman’s phrases, “larger contributions from distributed power assets” translate right into a digital energy plant. 

Eligible candidates for the grant embody utilities and for-profit entities, with the DOE official stressing the significance of candidates demonstrating how they may use the funds to profit deprived communities. 

Timeline

The preliminary idea paper is due by 5 p.m. EST Nov. 16. The submission deadline for grant purposes is 5 p.m. EST Feb. 29.

MAKE-IT Prize

The Manufacture of Superior Key Power Infrastructure Applied sciences, or MAKE-IT Prize, is a two-track funding alternative with the aim to ascertain clear power know-how manufacturing amenities. With funding from the Inflation Discount Act, the grant has two tracks to which candidates can apply: the Services Monitor or Methods Monitor. Eligible power parts for each tracks embody hydrogen, electrical grid, long-duration power storage and carbon seize know-how. 

Services Monitor: Twelve profitable candidates will obtain $500,000 within the first part, which can go towards accelerating “clear power know-how manufacturing plant growth and assist help [the establishment of] a strong, safe home provide chain.” In Part 2, as much as 4 of the 12 authentic initiatives will obtain $4.5 million every to arrange the initiatives as much as the purpose of breaking floor on building. The official guidelines doc for the Services Monitor might be discovered right here.

Methods Monitor: Thirty profitable candidates will obtain $50,000 to ascertain curiosity and engagement for clear power manufacturing and enhance the variety of clear power jobs. Candidates should develop a roadmap to ascertain clear power manufacturing of their area. The appliance requires “a letter of dedication from an entity eager about establishing a facility of their area.” As soon as roadmaps are submitted for consideration, about 20 winners will obtain two installments of $100,000 to proceed the initiatives began. The official guidelines doc for the Methods Monitor might be discovered right here.

A DOE official emphasised to GreenBiz that the MAKE-IT Prize is supposed to serve as a substitute supply of seed funding, with the final idea serving as an incubator for concepts. The 2 tracks are supposed to accommodate cities, cities or communities throughout the nation at totally different ranges of readiness for manufacturing amenities. 

Timeline

The assertion of intent for Part 1 of each the Services and Technique tracks is due by 5 p.m. EST Oct. 18. A second spherical of MAKE-IT Prize will open in 2024, with the assertion of intent due by 5 p.m. EST Feb. 15. 

Many different grants and funding alternatives can be found throughout the DOE. One federal official bolstered to GreenBiz that the tax incentives made out there within the IRA and BIL are eligible for work funded by a DOE grant.