NREL is accepting community technical assistance applications for the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Project (ETIPP). Applications will be accepted through Feb. 15, 2021.
ETIPP Overview Webinar
Jan. 26, 2021 12 p.m. MST
Join our webinar to learn more about ETIPP, the types of technical assistance, and the application process. Register today.
Applications will be evaluated based on impact to the community, support from relevant decision makers and community leaders, likelihood that projects can be completed, and alignment to the ETIPP programmatic goal, which is to support energy resilience planning and execution in remote, islanded, and island communities with unreliable and expensive energy systems and supplies.
ETIPP plans to select 8–12 remote, islanded, and island communities from the national applicant pool to receive technical assistance. Assistance will be virtual to start, with the goal to begin in-person assistance as soon as practical, with the health and safety of communities being the highest priority. The most successful applications will demonstrate:
The community objectives to be achieved through energy resilience efforts at the completion of ETIPP technical assistance. These objectives will be identified by the community and can include the ability to withstand disruptive events, economic resilience, and the stability or diversification of fuel sources, among others.
The likelihood of implementing plans developed through technical assistance. This will be evaluated by the explanation of previous, ongoing, or future efforts to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects in the community; the existence of an energy resilience goal; and the availability or expectation of project financing.
The commitment from relevant decision makers to support the technical assistance objectives developed by the community. Supporting stakeholders can include community government and leadership, local utilities, and public utility commissions.
Areas of energy resilience planning assistance can include but are not limited to:
Interpretation and application of interconnection standards and processes
Renewable resource characterization to support understanding of, for example, the community’s potential solar energy generation capacity
Energy efficiency characterization to identify efficiency planning options for commercial, residential, or municipal/government buildings, including building code development, input, and support
Marine resource characterization to support understanding of the community’s wave, tidal stream, tidal range, ocean thermal, and ocean current energy resource availability and feasibility
Short-term energy analysis and planning to identify, for example, which generation sources make up the community’s energy portfolio and how the community’s energy profile and carbon-reduction impact will change when renewables or efficiency measures are added to the mix in the near term (1–5 years)
Long-term energy analysis and planning to identify, for example, which generation sources make up the community’s energy portfolio and how the community’s energy profile and carbon-reduction impact will change when renewables or efficiency measures are added to the mix in the long-term (5–15 years)
Planning and analysis for new technology demonstration projects
Interpretation and application of renewable energy standards
Expert support in navigating the complexities of renewable energy and/or energy efficiency project and program financing
Permitting guidance for renewable energy systems
Training and counsel on energy codes and standards
Training and capacity building for community members on renewable energy, energy efficiency, and carbon-reduction activities
Tools and resources (templates, guides, etc.) to support the development of contracting requests and procurement for services for energy resilience execution (for example, contract assistance for community solar projects or pilot marine energy technology projects)
Planning for community renewable energy project development
Expert guidance to support integration of energy storage with other renewable technologies
Microgrid and hybrid systems analysis and planning
Disaster preparedness and recovery planning for energy systems, including extreme weather event planning and storm hardening
Resource analysis and decision support to help optimize community energy capacity while considering interactions among energy systems, water resources, and land and food resources as well as water and land availability and constraints and impacts on food production
Expert guidance to enhance integration of community electricity, transportation, and industrial energy use.
By participating in ETIPP, communities can expect to receive guidance, training, and support from the national lab technical experts who best fit the needs outlined by the community. Communities will not receive direct funding as part of the ETIPP effort but will receive substantial in-kind support and resources.
Application Deadline: Feb. 15, 2021
Review Period: February–March, 2021
Date of Notification: March–April, 2021
Technical Assistance Scope of Work Development: April 2021
Period of Technical Assistance: 12–18 months from the start of technical assistance