On May 1, 2013, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) and Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs (OIEPP) jointly announced the availability of $7 million to be used for the installation of clean energy systems and energy efficient technologies in Indian Country. There are two separate funding opportunities: Community-Scale Clean Energy Projects in Indian Country (applications due June 27, 2013) and Tribal Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Deployment Assistance (applications due June 20, 2013). The announcements and applications for both funding opportunities may be found at: https://eere-exchange.energy.gov/Default.aspx#FoaIdff8e15b4-5138-484d-97c0-d8108f81e339
Community-Scale Clean Energy Projects in Indian Country
The DOE intends to make 10-20 awards of between $50,000 and $1.5 million in FY 2013 funding to Indian tribes, Tribal Energy Resource Development Organizations, and Tribal Consortia to implement renewable energy systems and/or combined heat and power systems. The systems, which are to reduce fossil fuel use by 15 percent or more, can be in new or existing tribally-owned buildings. (Awardees must be able to provide 50 percent of the project costs–a 100 percent match to the federal funds awarded.) The buildings must be located on Indian lands and can include such buildings as: homes, schools, community buildings, clinics, government buildings, or other tribal facilities. The funding opportunity is specifically for projects at the “community-scale” (serving multiple tribally-owned buildings) or “facility-scale” (serving a single tribally-owned building), not the “commercial-scale” or “utility-scale.” Examples of renewable energy systems include: photovoltaic, biomass, wind power, and incremental hydropower. Examples of combined heat and power systems include: integrated systems that simultaneously generate heat and power using energy efficient turbines, reciprocating engines, microturbines, or fuel cells.
Tribal Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Deployment Assistance
The DOE intends to make 10-20 awards of between $50,000 and $250,000 in FY 2013 funding to Indian tribes, Tribal Energy Resource Development Organizations, and Tribal Consortia to implement renewable energy systems and/or energy efficiency measures in existing tribally-owned buildings to reduce fossil fuel use by 30 percent or more. (Awardees must be able to provide 50 percent of the project costs –a 100 percent match to the federal funds awarded.) The buildings must be located on Indian lands and can include such buildings as: homes, schools, community buildings, clinics, government buildings, or other tribal facilities. The funding opportunity is specifically for projects at the “community-scale” or “facility-scale”, not the “commercial-scale” or “utility-scale.” Examples of energy efficiency measures include: “building envelope” improvements (such as those to improve the R-value of a building’s walls, roof, windows, doors, etc.), high-efficiency lighting, efficient appliances, efficient heating and cooling systems, high efficiency office equipment and energy saving building electrical equipment.
Please let us know if we may provide additional information regarding the Department of Energy’s Community-Scale Clean Energy Projects in Indian Country and Tribal Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Deployment Assistance FY 2013 funding opportunities.
