U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY: DOE Announces Intent to Issue New Funding Opportunity for Tribal Energy Infrastructure Development

U.S. Department of Energy issued the following announcement on Sept. 27.

On September 26, 2019 during his closing remarks at the National Tribal Energy Summit in D.C., Mark W. Menezes, Under Secretary of Energy announced that Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs issued a Notice of Intent to issue a funding opportunity announcement (FOA) entitled “Energy Infrastructure Development on Indian Lands - 2020”.

“This planned funding will help Native American and Alaska Native communities harness their vast energy resources to reduce or stabilize energy costs, as well as increase energy security and resilience,” said Under Secretary Menezes. 

Through the planned FOA, the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Indian Energy intends to solicit applications from Indian tribes, which, for the purposes of the FOA, include Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations, to:

• Install energy generating system(s) and/or energy efficiency measure(s) for tribal building(s); or,
• Deploy community-scale energy generating system(s) or energy storage on Tribal Lands; or,
• Install integrated energy system(s) for autonomous operation (independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid) to power a single or multiple essential tribal facilities during emergency situations or for tribal community resilience; or,
• Deploy energy infrastructure or integrated energy system(s) to electrify tribal buildings.

DOE envisions awarding multiple financial assistance awards in the form of grants. Under the planned FOA and as required by statute, a 50% recipient cost share of the total project costs is required and must come from non-federal sources, unless otherwise allowed by law.

Through this planned FOA, the Office of Indian Energy will continue its efforts to maximize the deployment of energy solutions for the benefit of American Indians and Alaska Natives and help build the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to implement those energy solutions. See the Office of Indian Energy website for a map and summaries of previous competitively funded projects.

Download the Notice of Intent (DE-FOA-00020167)

Find information about past funding opportunities.

Original source can be found here.