Voucher Opportunity 3 – Clean Energy Demonstration Project Siting/Permitting Support (OCED/EERE)
Information
Description
States, local governments, tribes, and other Authority Having Jurisdictions (AHJs) interested in learning about and facilitating clean energy demonstration project siting and permitting processes should take advantage of this voucher opportunity. This opportunity is designed to help AHJs streamline siting and permitting processes to advance commercialization and demonstration of innovative clean energy technologies. See below for additional info about eligibility and timeline.
As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Technology Commercialization Fund, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), in collaboration with ENERGYWERX, is offering its Clean Energy Demonstration Project Siting/Permitting Support Voucher Opportunity (VO-3) to eligible AHJs to understand new clean energy technology benefits and challenges, evaluate siting and permitting best practices developed by similar jurisdictions, develop streamlined permitting processes, and support community engagement on related issues. The ultimate goal is to increase adoption readiness of new clean energy technologies with a focus on challenges related to license to operate.
Objective
The DOE Voucher Program builds bridges between U.S. entrepreneurs, businesses, technology developers or other relevant partners and third-party voucher providers to advance commercialization of innovative energy technologies. Voucher Opportunity (VO-3) enables expert assistance to help AHJs understand new clean energy technology benefits and challenges, evaluate siting and permitting best practices developed by similar jurisdictions, develop streamlined permitting processes, and support community engagement on related issues..
The first submission window solicits proposals from potential voucher providers. A second submission window will be open soon to solicit requests from potential voucher recipients. Pending availability of funds, additional submission windows may open in the future.
Voucher Projects: Expected max voucher worth $100,000 of work. Vouchers will be distributed as in-kind support, meaning that ENERGYWERX will directly reimburse the voucher provider for the work they have completed on behalf of the voucher recipients. Only work related to specific technology areas will be eligible to receive a voucher under this opportunity. List of eligible technology areas:
- With OCED funding:
- Advanced nuclear
- Carbon management (including carbon capture and direct air capture)
- Long-duration energy storage
- Clean hydrogen
- Industrial decarbonization
- Upgrades to the electric grid
- With EERE funding:
- Advanced materials and Manufacturing Technologies
- Building efficiency
- Geothermal
- Solar
- Water
- Wind
- Bioenergy
- Vehicle technologies
Please note that funding is not equally available for all technology areas. Some areas have very limited available funding and DOE expects to run out of money for vouchers in those areas faster than other areas. DOE anticipates issuing approximately 50 vouchers for the technology areas funded by OCED and, in addition, 5 vouchers for the technology areas funded by EERE.
Voucher Providers: Including but not limited to non-profit organizations and consulting firms.
Voucher Recipients: Limited to AHJ’s or other relevant entities seeking to host clean energy projects that fit a specific technology vertical of interest for DOE OCED or EERE within their jurisdiction.
Event Updates
Voucher Providers: How to Participate in VO-3
- Review Resources from the September 12, 2023 IW/OSS
- Review the Resources from the September 19, 2023 Office Hours
- Download the Provider Capability Overview: Click Here to Download
- Complete Submission Form & Upload Completed Capability Overview: Click Here to Submit for VO-3 (NLT September 26, 2023 at 5:00 PM ET)
This is not the only voucher opportunity currently available through ENERGYWERX. See below for additional information related to other voucher opportunities:
Notice for all parties interested in ENERGYWERX events and programs: Announcement of ENERGYWERX events that are considered to have a high potential for further efforts that may be accomplished via FAR-based contracting instruments, Other Transaction Authority (OTA) for prototype projects 10 USC 4022, prizes for advanced technology achievements 10 USC 4025, and/or prize competitions 15 USC 3719, may be made at the www.energywerx.org website. All announcements made at the www.energywerx.org website are considered to satisfy the reasonable effort to obtain competition in accordance with 10 USC 4025, 15 USC 3719 (e) and 10 USC 4022. All FAR-based actions will follow announcement procedures per FAR 5.201(b) accordingly.