energy specific funding opportunties




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Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and other federal and state funding announcements

The *Minnesota Department of Commerce *seeks to work with and facilitate connections with local and Tribal governments, utilities, businesses, communities and other entities interested in energy-related partnerships. The opportunities outlined below are funded by the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Minnesota Energy and Environment Omnibus Bill, and other state and federal programs.

*New Commerce Website for State Funding Opportunities for Energy Projects*

Information on funding for energy related projects is now being shared online by the Division of Energy Resources at the Minnesota Department of Commerce. 

The *_New Energy Programs_* page joins with the existing Federal Funding opportunities page [ [link removed] ] to provide additional insight for Minnesotans on new state funding for energy opportunities and programs.  Details on the new rebates, grants and other programs will be added to the site as the programs are developed by Commerce to make those funds accessible to all Minnesotans. 

Bookmark this new page for future reference: *New Energy Programs / Minnesota Department of Commerce - Energy (mn.gov); [ [link removed] ]* updates are currently included for the EV Rebate Program [ [link removed] ] and Heat Pump Rebate Program . [ [link removed] ] Please plan to check back frequently for future updates; you can also stay current by signing up for our newsletter at this link [ [link removed] ].

The legislation authorizing these new programs can be read by clicking on the links below. The table below references the appropriate link for each specific program.

The legislation authorizing these new programs can be read by clicking on the links below. The table below references the appropriate link for each specific program.


* HF 2310 - Chapter 60 - MN Laws [ [link removed] ]
* SF 3035 - Chapter 53 - MN Laws [ [link removed] ]
* HF 1656 - Chapter 24 - MN Laws [ [link removed] ]
* HF 100 - Chapter 63 - MN Laws [ [link removed] ]
Omnibus v3




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Recent and expected federal funding activity

*To facilitate a quick review of this newsletter, the subject matter of included items is previewed here; full details can be found in the body of the newsletter.*

*Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA), Administrative and Legal Requirements Document (ALRD), Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), Requests for Applications (RFA) [ #FOA1 ]*


* 2023 Energy Future Grants (EFG) Creating a Community-Led Energy Future
* 41007c Silicon Solar Manufacturing, and Dual-use Photovoltaics Incubator
* FY23 Materials, Operation, and Recycling of Photovoltaics (MORE PV)
* 40302 Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants 
* High Performance Computing for Energy Innovation (HPC4EI) initiative
* IRA 50123 State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grant Program
* IRA 50121 and IRA 50123 Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 Home Energy Rebates: Home Efficiency Rebates & Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates
* USDA Rural Energy for America Technical Assistance Grant Program
* Underserved and Indigenous Community Microgrids (UICM)
* U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission University Nuclear Leadership Program 

*Notice of Intent [ #NoticeofIntent ]*


* IRA 60113 Mitigating Emissions from Marginal Conventional Wells
* Clean Hydrogen Production, Storage, Transport, and Utilization to Enable a Net-Zero Carbon Economy 
* Advancing U.S. Thin-Film Solar
* Distributed Energy Systems Demonstrations
* Regional Initiative for Technical Assistance Partnerships (RITAP) to Advance Deployment of Basin Scale Carbon Transport and Storage and Community Engagement
* Enhancing the Electric Power Systems’ Reliability and Resilience via Sensor Data Analytics Demonstrations

Request for Information (RFI) [ #RequestforInformation ]


* Access to High Performing Computing Resources at DOE National Laboratories

Webinars [ #webinars ]


* NASEO Rural Working Group Webinar: Agriculture and Carbon Sequestration: Challenges and Opportunities
* NASEO-NARUC Advanced Nuclear State Collaborative Webinar: Facilitating Equitable Community Engagement to Support the Deployment of Advanced Nuclear

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*IIJA Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA)*

* *2023 Energy Future Grants (EFG) Creating a Community-Led Energy Future*
* DE-FOA-0002870 [ [link removed] ]
* *Deadline: Full Application due 9.30.*2023.**

DOE's State and Community Energy Program issued a funding opportunity with $27 million in financial and technical assistance to support local, state, and tribal government-led partnership efforts advancing clean energy program innovation. Community-led EFG projects foster integrated clean energy solutions in and across the power, transportation, and building sectors. Approximately 50 multi-jurisdictional teams, with ideally 3-4 (or more) state, local, and tribal government partners on the team, are expected to receive awards of $500,000.  Teams will also partner with community benefit organizations to turn innovative, novel or early action ideas into solutions that address barriers to clean energy deployment and provide measurable benefits to disadvantaged communities.

*General Overview and Tribal Liaison Webinar*: August 3, 2023 3:00-4:00 pm  Attend [ [link removed] ] (no registration required)

 


* *41007c Silicon Solar Manufacturing, and Dual-use Photovoltaics Incubator*

* DE-FOA-0003057 [ [link removed] ]
* *Deadlines: Concept paper due 9.27.23, Full application due 11.14.23*

The DOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, through the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) will fund $45M for the RD&D development of new solar photovoltaics technologies to improve U.S. domestic manufacturing and competitiveness. Proposals for two topics are being sought:

1) Pilot Demonstrations of Silicon Supply Chain Components with goal of accelerating manufacturing innovations which are part of the silicon solar module and/or component supply chain and

2) Dual-use Photovoltaics Incubators activities aimed at domestically made products for emerging dual-use photovoltaics sectors in agriculture, building-integrated PF, vehicle-integrated PV, and floating PV.

 


* *41007c3 FY23 Materials, Operation, and Recycling of Photovoltaics (MORE PV)*

* DE-FOA-0002985 [ [link removed](MORE_PV)%20DE-FOA-0002985.pdf ]
* *Deadlines: Required Letter of Intent: 9.6.23, Concept paper due 9.13.23, Full application 11.28.23*

The DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) will provide up to $20 million over three years for research and development projects to create innovative and practical approaches to increase the reuse and recycling of solar energy technologies. 

This FOA is designed to address challenges associated with the rapid deployment of PV systems in the United States, including the increasing demands on PV materials, system operation and maintenance, and recycling. Topics areas are:

*Topic Area 1:* MORE Connection: Connecting PV Materials, Design, Installation, Performance, and End of Life and

T*opic Area 2:* Solar Partnership to Advance Recycling and Circularity (Solar PARC)






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* *40302 Carbon Utilization Procurement Grants*
* DE-FOA-0002829 [ [link removed] ]
* *Deadlines:* *Concept paper: Required, can be submitted anytime. Full application **due 4.30.24*

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) announced funding of up to $100 million to support states, local governments, and public utilities in purchasing products derived from converted carbon emissions. The goal is to speed up adoption of advanced carbon management technologies, creating a market for environmentally sustainable alternatives in fuels, chemicals, and building products sourced from captured emissions from industrial and power generation facilities.  The Utilization Procurement Grants program will award demonstration grants, called UPGrants to allow eligible entities to procure and use commercial or industrial products that are derived from anthropogenic carbon oxides. Maximum grant funding is based on the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) of a specific product, as set by the vendor: 

1) Grants up to $3 Million available if LCA demonstrates that their product reduces greenhouse gas emissions by at least 10% from the incumbent baseline

2) Grants of up to $8 Million available if LCA demonstrates a reduction plan of at least 25%. 

 


* *High Performance Computing for Energy Innovation (HPC4EI) Initiative*

* LLNL-MI-851175 [ [link removed] ]
* *Deadline: *Concept paper due 8.17.23, Full application due 11.11.2023.**

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) will fund $45M for support of industry partners via the use of HPC to bolster domestic materials supply chains needed to reduce industrial emissions. Specific areas of interest include projects that will advance materials used for direct air capture, biomass carbon removal and storage, enhanced mineralization, and marine carbon dioxide removal. HPC4EI is the parent initiative for the HPC4Manufacturing (HPC4Mfg) and HPC4Materials (HPC4Mtls) Programs, both of which will be funded by the HPC4EI Summer 2023 Solicitation.  

*Webinar:* August 2, 2023 11:00 am -12:00 pm  Register [ [link removed] ]

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Non-*IIJA Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOA)*

* *IRA 50123 State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grant Program*

* Program Requirements and Application Instructions  [ [link removed] ]
* *Deadlines: Applications due 9.30.23*

The DOE State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) has released the allocations and the development and application guidance for this energy-contractor training program. As a Formula Grant, restricted eligibility applies; Commerce will apply to receive the Minnesota allocation of $2.8 million in funding to develop and implement a state workforce energy program that prepares workers to deliver energy efficiency, electrification, and clean energy improvements, including those covered under the Home Energy Performance-Based, Whole House Rebate Program (HOMES) and the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate Program (HEAR) (also called HEEHRA or High Efficiency Electric Home Rebate Program). We encourage interested workforce development, training and other interested entities to make Commerce aware of your interest via and email to [email protected]. <[email protected]> Please include your priorities and ideas for harnessing resources within your community and your key constituents. 

 


* *IRA 50121 and IRA 50123 Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 Home Energy Rebates: Home Efficiency Rebates & Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates*
* Program Requirements and Application Instructions [ [link removed] ]

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) authorized *$8.8 billion* in funding for the Home Efficiency Rebate and Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate Programs, together called the Home Energy Rebate Programs. These rebates will make it possible for more families to reduce their energy bills, make their homes more comfortable, and improve their indoor air quality. These improvements will save *Americans $1 billion annually*. ​

The DOE State and Community Energy Programs (SCEP) has released the guidance for the Home Energy Rebate Programs: Home Energy Rebates (also called HOMES) and the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate (also called HEAR, formerly HEEHRA).  As Formula Grant programs, application eligibility is restricted to States and Territories.  Commerce will apply to receive the Minnesota allocation of $74,459,590 in HOMES allocated funding and $74,027,440 in HEAR allocated funding, for a total funding allocation of $148,487,030.  Funds will be used develop, implement and fund the rebates under two separate consumer rebate programs for home efficiency, electrification and appliance replacement projects. 

*NOTES:* 

1) Funding is _not yet available for consumers_. Watch this e-newsletter and the Commerce Federal Funding web page for updates.

2) The DOE will release additional details regarding the Tribal Home Electrification and Appliance Rebates and the funding allocations for that program at a later date.

3) We encourage interested entities to make Commerce aware of your interest via an email to [email protected].  <[email protected]>Please include your priorities and ideas for harnessing resources within your community and your key constituents. 

 


* *USDA Rural Energy for America Technical Assistance Grant Program*

* *Deadlines*: *Full application: 8.15.23*
* Federal Register Notice [ [link removed] ]
* Additional Information [ [link removed] ]
*  The USDA will award up to $21.25 million in grants to support entities providing technical assistance to agricultural producers and rural small businesses submitting full applications to the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Grants will prioritize applicants assisting distressed or disadvantaged communities, applicants pursuing projects using underutilized technologies, or applicants seeking grants under $20,000.
* Eligible applicants include units of State, Tribal, or local government; land-grant colleges, universities, or other higher education institutions; electric cooperatives, investor-owned utilities, and other utility entities; non-profit and for-profit entities, amongst others. 

 


* *Underserved and Indigenous Community Microgrids (UICM)*
* DE-FOA-002934 [ [link removed] ] 
* *Deadlines*: *Full Application due 9.15.23*

The DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) and the DOE Office of Electricity has issued a FOA to support multi-year RD&D projects for tools and technologies to enhance the reliability and resilience of the nation’s energy infrastructure.  Research will be focused on development and deployment/demonstration of advanced microgrid-enabling technologies, including renewable generation and storage systems, multi-nodal small-scale high-voltage direct current, advanced demand-side management strategies, and microgrid control systems providing replicable microgrid solutions to address the broad array of challenges facing underserved and Indigenous communities in remote and islanded regions throughout the United States.

 


* *U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission University Nuclear Leadership Program *
* 31310023K0003 [ [link removed](Education%20Program)%20NOFO%20(Final).pdf ]
* *Deadlines*: *Full Application due **9.8.23*

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced funding for a Scholarship and Fellowship Education Grant, Distinguished Faculty Advancement Grant, and Trade School and Community College Scholarship Grant for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023.  The total amount of funding available is $10,000,000, with the number and amount of awards depending on the number, duration, costs, and merit of the applications received.

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*Notice of Intent (NOI)*

* *IRA 60113 Mitigating Emissions from Marginal Conventional Wells
*
* DE-FOA-0003108 [ [link removed] ]
* *FOA expected in August 2023*

The DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), DOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), together with the EPA, have announced their intent to offer a formula grant opportunity with up to $350 million to support gas well operators voluntarily and permanently plugging marginal conventional wells (MCWs) on non-Federal lands. Projects will also support environmental restoration of the well pad, and enhance industries and States’ capacities to monitor methane and other air pollutants from wells.

 


* *Clean Hydrogen Production, Storage, Transport, and Utilization to Enable a Net-Zero Carbon Economy *  
* DE-FOA-0003095 [ [link removed] ]
* *FOA expected September 2023*

The DOE issued a NOI to advise of a potential amendment to the previously issued FOA:" Fossil Energy Based Production, Storage, Transport, and Utilization of Hydrogen Approaching Net-Zero or Net-Negative Carbon Emissions.  "The amended FOA, under the new name and FOA number above, will be up to $19 million in funding for cost-shared R&D project(s) focusing on:

1) Maturation of Technologies for Gasification-Based Clean Hydrogen Systems (Feedstock Delivery Component and Oxygen-Generating Component/ Air separation Unit);

2) Advanced Sensors to Enable Gasification to Provide Clean Hydrogen Meeting Hydrogen-Shot Cost Parameters;

3) Digital Twins for Advanced Monitoring, Detection, and Security for Integrated Hydrogen-Based Systems with Carbon Capture. Cost-share expected to be 20%.

 


* *Advancing U.S. Thin-Film Solar* 
* DE-FOA-0003060 [ [link removed] ]
* *FOA expected in September 2023*

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) intends to release the *"Advancing U.S. Thin-Film Solar" *FOA of up to $36 million for research, development, and demonstration projects on two major thin-film photovoltaic (PV) technologies: metal halide perovskite PV and cadmium telluride (CdTe) PV. This FOA will promote American leadership in thin-film PV technology, and the domestic manufacture of thin-film PV modules. FOA issuance will support SETO in meeting Congressional direction provided in fiscal year 2023 to spend no less than $25 million each to support the advancement of both perovskite PV and CdTe PV technologies ($50 million in total). 

 


* *Distributed Energy Systems Demonstrations*
* DE-FOA-0003138 [ [link removed] ]
* *FOA expected in September 2023*

The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) intends to issue a FOA with up to $50 million to support the demonstrations that de-risk technologies needed to manage variable generation; control flexible loads; and integrate energy storage, electric vehicle (EV) charging, and other facilities into the U.S. transmission and distribution grids.

 


* *Regional Initiative for Technical Assistance Partnerships (RITAP) to Advance Deployment of Basin Scale Carbon Transport and Storage and Community Engagement*
* DE-FOA-0003013 [ [link removed] ]
* *FOA expected November 2023*

The DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) has the intent to release funding to support carbon transport and storage. Private sector entities have begun to formulate plans across all suitable geologic basins in the United States for large storage facilities and regional carbon management hubs, each consisting of multiple carbon sources, storage reservoirs, and transport mechanisms, such as pipelines, to link the sources and storage locations. To meet the demand for technical assistance, the DOE intends to offer support to developers of specific, well-defined, large-scale storage facilities or regional carbon management hubs, with a focus on localized needs and an emphasis on community engagement and community benefits. An additional area of interest under the potential funding opportunity will be on projects assembling, organizing, and analyzing geologic data as a means of facilitating the development of future large-scale storage facilities or carbon management hubs within their respective States.

 


* *Enhancing the Electric Power Systems’ Reliability and Resilience via Sensor Data Analytics Demonstrations*
* DE-FOA-0003128 [ [link removed] ]
* *FOA expected in the 4th quarter of 2023*

The DOE National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) expects to issue a funding opportunity with the objective of enhancing grid reliability and resilience in the age of big data. The FOA is anticipated to focus on a single Topic Area, Sensor Data Analytics Demonstrations, seeking to establish a portfolio of demonstration projects across a variety of geographic, economic, and climate conditions to create a varied and more comprehensive assessment of future deployment of advanced sensors technologies.  Cost-share expected to be 20% for R&D activities and 50% for demonstration projects.

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Request for Information (RFI)

* *Access to High Performing Computing Resources at DOE National Laboratories*
* DE-FOA-003130 [ [link removed] ]
* *RFI Deadline: 8.25.23*

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on behalf of the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Office (AMMTO) and the Fossil Energy and Carbon Management Office (FECM) has issued a RFI to better understand the perceived value of high-performance computing (HPC) capabilities to manufacturers and the experiences of companies that have interacted with the High Performance Computing for Energy Innovation (HPC4EI) program.

The purpose of this RFI is to solicit feedback from the public, including key stakeholders in the manufacturing sector, especially from small and medium-sized manufacturers (SMMs) based in the U.S., past participants in funded programs through the DOE HPC4EI initiative, including HPC4Mfg (Manufacturing) and HPC4Mtls (Materials), and companies that may have an interest in participating in future HPC4EI programs. [ #gd_top ]






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Webinars

* *NASEO Rural Working Group Webinar: Agriculture and Carbon Sequestration: Challenges and Opportunities* 
* *Date/Time*: *8.16.23, 2:00-3:00 p.m.*

States, the federal government, and the private sector are advancing soil carbon sequestration through incentives, technical assistance, and data collection, which presents an economic development opportunity for rural areas and agricultural stakeholders. This webinar will be an opportunity to hear about the process for carbon sequestration in soil along with some of the co-benefits and challenges, *register here [ [link removed] ]. [ [link removed] ]*

 


* *NASEO-NARUC Advanced Nuclear State Collaborative Webinar: Facilitating Equitable Community Engagement to Support the Deployment of Advanced Nuclear*
* **Date/Time*: 8.17.23, 12:00 noon – 1:30 p.m. *

State Energy Offices and state utility regulators are exploring ways to support advanced nuclear through programs, policies, plans, and regulations in order to harness the different benefits this innovative technology can provide including decarbonization, resilience, and economic development and workforce opportunities. Key to ensuring advanced nuclear projects are deployed in a just and equitable way is to better understand who states should be engaging with and when, what community concerns may be, and what a community-driven planning process would look like. This webinar will provide an opportunity for states to hear from speakers from the government and non-profit sectors and discuss some of the questions and challenges they have around community engagement and advanced nuclear.

This webinar is open to the public; please register *here [ [link removed] ]*.

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For energy-specific funding opportunities, Commerce is here for you!

The *Minnesota Department of Commerce *seeks to work with and facilitate connections with local and Tribal governments, utilities, businesses, communities, and other entities interested in energy-related partnerships. These opportunities are funded by the Infrastructure Investments and Jobs Act (IIJA), the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), the Minnesota Energy and Environment Omnibus Bill, and other state and federal energy programs.

Interested in partnering with Commerce on funding opportunities or have questions? Stay updated by clicking *subscribe below* and e-mail us at [email protected].

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*Minnesota Department of Commerce | Energy Division
*85 7th Place East, Suite 280 | St. Paul, MN 55101*
*Email: [email protected]
Local: 651-539-1886 | Greater MN: 1-800-657-3710

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