DOE Announces $65 Million for Connected Communities Funding Opportunity
Diagrams of grid-interactive efficient buildings
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced it will provide $65 million through its Connected Communities funding opportunity announcement (FOA) (DE-FOA-0002206) to expand DOE’s network of grid-interactive efficient building communities nationwide. This FOA was first described in a Notice of Intent earlier this year and later shaped by responses to a Request for Information.
“The integration of emerging technologies and systems is essential to the success of efforts to maximize the effectiveness of advanced building technologies,” said Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Daniel R. Simmons. “Our Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings Initiative helps the U.S. further modernize its power grid and thus improve reliability, integrate renewable power sources, improve environmental performance, and make electricity more affordable for America’s households and businesses.”
“We’re excited to see how these connected communities will take shape in different climates and utility territories, with different building types and technology combinations,” said BTO Director David Nemtzow. “We expect to show how this initiative can work anywhere by creating a blueprint to take connected communities across the Nation.”
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s (EERE) Building Technologies Office (BTO) led this FOA’s development in collaboration with EERE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office and Vehicle Technologies Office, and DOE’s Office of Electricity and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. The purpose of the Connected Communities FOA is to demonstrate how groups of buildings, combined with other types of distributed energy resources like electric vehicle charging and photovoltaic generation, can reliably and cost-effectively serve as grid assets by strategically deploying efficiency and demand flexibility. This FOA supports BTO’s Grid-interactive Efficient Buildings Initiative.
How to Apply
Domestic and foreign entities are eligible to apply. More information, submittal requirements, and instructions for applying to this funding opportunity announcement (DE-FOA-0002206) can be found on the EERE Funding Opportunity Exchange.
To read the FOA and submit a concept paper, click HERE.
Submission Deadline for Concept Papers: To be eligible for consideration, a concept paper must be submitted no later than Wednesday, February 17, 2021 at 5:00 PM ET.
Submission Deadline for Full Applications: Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 5:00 PM ET.
Teaming Information
Each project must include teams composed of critical partners needed to successfully implement the project. It is recognized that teams will differ depending on regional and grid needs. Projects are encouraged to include representation of:
grid resources/assets (e.g. electric utility, efficiency utility, community choice aggregator)
building owners or related market actors (e.g. home builder, building owner, developer, building manager, engineering firm)
technology manufacturers and vendors,
state or local governments,
Clean Cities coalitions (if applicable), and
researchers (e.g. national lab, university, consulting firm).
For more teaming information, click HERE.
Questions and Informational Webinar
EERE will conduct one informational webinar during the FOA process on Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 2:00 PM ET. Attendance is not mandatory and will not positively or negatively impact the overall review of any applicant submissions, but pre-registration is required.
Register for the Connected Communities FOA Informational Webinar HERE.
Questions regarding the content of this FOA must be submitted to: CCPilotsFOA@ee.doe.gov. Questions must be submitted not later than three (3) business days prior to the application due date and time. Please note, feedback on individual concepts will not be provided through Q&A.
Read more about this FOA HERE.
* This article was originally published here
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