The Loan Programs Office (LPO) of the Department of Energy (DOE) has released an updated Program Guidance for the Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program. This program offers loan guarantees totaling over $300 billion to support clean energy, facility decarbonization, and energy infrastructure reinvestment projects. The updated guidance incorporates new authorities established by recent legislation and provides new financing opportunities for eligible projects.
The Program Guidance introduces four project categories under Title 17 through which eligible projects can receive financing:
Innovative Energy projects: These projects deploy proven but not widely commercialized technologies in the United States.
Innovative Supply Chain projects: These projects incorporate new technologies in the manufacturing process for clean energy technologies or manufacture new and improved technologies.
State Energy Financing Institution (SEFI) projects: These projects receive financial support or credit enhancements from a State agency or financing authority to deploy qualifying clean energy technologies.
Energy Infrastructure Reinvestment (EIR) projects: These projects involve the retooling, repowering, repurposing, or replacement of energy infrastructure, or enable existing infrastructure to reduce air pollutants or greenhouse gas emissions.
The Program Guidance provides detailed eligibility criteria for each category and covers a wide range of sectors, including heavy industry, clean hydrogen, carbon management, critical minerals, renewable energy, advanced nuclear, energy storage, and clean energy manufacturing.
Additionally, the updated guidance includes a new requirement for all applicants to submit a Community Benefits Plan as part of their application. This plan should outline how the project engages with stakeholders, ensures job quality and diversity, and contributes to the Justice40 initiative, which aims to direct 40 percent of federal investment benefits to disadvantaged communities.
The new Program Guidance replaces previous solicitations and is accompanied by an Interim Final Rule that amends the regulations implementing the loan guarantee provisions of Title 17. The Interim Final Rule clarifies aspects related to credit subsidy costs and transaction costs for applicants.
Current applicants in the Title 17 application process do not need to resubmit their applications, but they should review the updated guidance and ensure compliance with the new requirements. The LPO will assist current applicants in understanding the changes and transitioning to the new guidelines.
Interested parties can request a no-cost pre-application consultation after reviewing the Program Guidance to determine the eligibility of their projects for financing.
For more detailed information on the Clean Energy Financing Program, including project categories, eligibility requirements, costs, and the application process, applicants should refer to the LPO's Title 17 web pages and the Program Guidance document.
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