Informational Webinar: Join ENERGYWERX and the i2X team for an Informational Webinar on the iCRS-D - Interconnection Cost Reduction Solutions for Distribution Grid Program on February 26, 2026 from 3:00-4:00 PM ET.

• Register for the Informational Webinar on February 26, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET.
  
  • Focuses predominantly on explaining the Opportunity with some questions at the end.

For an optimal experience, we recommend downloading the Microsoft Teams software to your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Informational Webinar(s): ENERGYWERX and the i2X team will host an open Q&A session for potential iCRS-D applicants. Participants are encouraged to come prepared to ask questions.‍

• Register for the Informational Webinar(s) on:
  
  • Focuses predominantly on answering questions for the applicant.
    • March 19, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET
    • April 2, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET

For an optimal experience, we recommend downloading the Microsoft Teams software to your computer, smartphone, or tablet.

Submission Window: February 19, 2026 - April 16, 2026

Start the iCRS-D Application (Submissions are due no later than April 16, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET)

Submission Window: February 19, 2026 - April 16, 2026

Start the iCRS-D Application (Submissions are due no later than April 16, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET)

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All applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Applicant must qualify as a domestic entity. To qualify as a domestic entity, the entity must be organized, chartered, or incorporated (or otherwise formed) under the laws of a particular state or territory of the United States. The entity must have majority domestic ownership and control and have a physical place of business in the United States.
• Applicant must certify that it is not owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of government of Country of Risk. The U.S. Department of Energy defines Country of Risk to include China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran. This list is subject to change.
• Any applicant that is an Investor-Owned Utility will be required to provide a 50% cost share.

Merit Review Process & Evaluation Criteria

The i2X team will review and evaluate each application according to the merit review criteria, program policy factors, and the overall portfolio of proposed projects. In conducting the review, the teams may seek the advice of qualified non-federal personnel as reviewers. The applicant, by submitting its application, consents to the use of non-federal reviewers. The merit review criteria consist of statements in three parts. 

Application Merit Review Criteria

Criteria 1: Scope and Partnership

• The applicant demonstrates a thorough understanding of existing interconnection practices, highlighting limitations and deficiencies.
• The proposed project describes solutions that can reduce costs and reduce barriers associated with interconnection services for generators, large loads, and/or hybrid facilities on the distribution grid of the targeted region.
• The project team is a multi-stakeholder partnership composed of organizations (e.g. distribution utility, state regulator, state government) with expertise, capabilities, and authority to implement the Lighthouse project.
• The applicant demonstrates strong interest from partnering organizations (e.g., letters of intent).
• The applicant includes signed partnership agreements or commitments from organizations key to implementing the Lighthouse project (e.g. state government, state regulator, distribution utility).
• The project team includes key personnel who have expertise, capabilities, and the decision-making authority to implement the Lighthouse project.
• The proposed project aligns well with the goals and priorities of key team member organizations such as distribution utilities and state regulators.

Criteria 2: Work Plan and Feasibility

• The proposal includes specific and feasible activities for the Lighthouse Project (stakeholder engagement, solution development and implementation, and field demonstration).
• The proposal includes specific and feasible milestones for the Lighthouse Project (stakeholder engagement, solution development and implementation, and field demonstration).
• The proposal includes specific and feasible outputs for the Lighthouse Project (stakeholder engagement, solution development and implementation, and field demonstration).
• The proposal identifies potential risks to project success and provides appropriate mitigation strategies.
• The proposal includes key performance indicators/measurable outcomes that are specific and feasible to assess.

Criteria 3: Impact and Scalability

• The Lighthouse Project, if realized, will sufficiently impact interconnection costs and timelines.
• The Lighthouse Project, if realized, will reduce projected interconnection costs by at least 50%.
• The Lighthouse Project can be readily adopted locally.
• The Lighthouse Project is scalable and can be adopted at state or regional levels.
• The proposal clearly defines how the partnership will quantitatively and qualitatively measure the success of the Lighthouse Project.
• The proposal includes a plan for sharing the partnership’s findings with a broader audience.
• The partnership has a clear vision to sustain the interconnection process improvements beyond the funding period, including strategies for embedding them within existing regulatory and utility practices.

The i2X Program will apply the following program policy factors when reviewing and evaluating applications to select the most impactful projects aligning with national priorities.

• Alignment with i2X Program Objectives: The proposed project strongly aligns with the goals, priorities, and ongoing activities of the Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) program.
• Support for DOE Priorities: The proposed project advances key DOE energy goals related to grid modernization, streamlining of interconnection processes, cutting of bureaucratic red tape, and energy addition.
• Regional Impact and Replicability: The proposed project demonstrates potential for significant regional impact and the ability to be replicated in other regions facing similar interconnection challenges.
• Geographic Diversity: The proposed project expands the geographic diversity of organizations and regions participating in DOE-supported interconnection initiatives.
• Leveraging Existing Resources: The partnerships effectively leverage existing resources, initiatives, and expertise within the region to maximize the impact of the project.

May an FFRDC or a National Lab apply?

DOE will not directly fund National Labs*/FFRDCs via this Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) Opportunity; however, FFRDCs (e.g. DOE/National Nuclear Security Administration national laboratories) may participate as a Selectee’s subrecipient. The FFRDC effort, in aggregate, shall not exceed 10% of total federal share of the project, and ENWX and DOE will not be involved in, nor assist in, these activities.  Selectees will receive full funding through a Business-to-Business (B2B) Agreement with ENWX. Selectees are solely responsible for funding and executing necessary agreements with subrecipients.  

*Caveat: NLs may be Voucher Providers and may apply, but if selected, DOE will manage the work and pay the NL directly through the existing funding mechanism.

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How much funding will be provided to applicants, if selected?

Each application, if selected, may be awarded up to $1 million.

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Do projects need to address specific solutions developed by i2X?

The projects do not have to address specific solutions developed by i2X, but applicants are highly encouraged to use example solutions provided in the FAQ section under “What type of solutions are encouraged?'"

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What types of solutions are encouraged?

Example solutions to adapt for the Lighthouse Project may include:

• Increase data access and transparency:
  
  • Expand and standardize reporting of interconnection data, including project attributes and interconnection cost estimates.
  • Standardize and clarify the technical data that developers of large, distributed energy systems must provide on interconnection applications to facilitate interconnection studies.
  • Establish and maintain frequently updated hosting capacity analysis (HCA) tools that model the impact of multiple types of distributed energy technologies on the grid. Further, broaden the use cases of HCA, such as for interactive maps of low-cost, capacity available interconnection regions.
• Streamline and expedite interconnection services:
  
  • Establish and require that large interconnection applicants meet clear criteria for commercial readiness and enforce appropriate interconnection study timelines with penalties for delays in completing studies to quicken queue-dwell times.
  • Automate parts of the interconnection application process and, where possible, streamline completion of interconnection studies.
  • Use a group study process to address existing queue backlogs or avoid anticipated queue backlogs.
• Maximize economic efficiency:
  
  • Enable flexible interconnection, consider load and export capacity for hybrid facilities, and account for potential grid services in interconnection studies to defer grid upgrades and avoid delays.
  • Use a group study process to reduce per-project interconnection upgrade costs by allocating costs among multiple projects based on their contribution to the triggered upgrade.
  • Improve coordination and data sharing between the interconnection process and the system planning process to promote synergy between the two.
  • Proactively upgrade feeder circuits to accommodate forecasted generation and load growth and recover costs from future developers who share the upgraded feeder circuits.

Further example solution topics can be found in the Objective section under “Areas of Interest”.

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What types of measurable project outcomes are encouraged?  

Projects that detail solution(s) with a direct pathway to the outcomes listed below:

• 70% reduction in projected interconnection costs related to grid upgrades.
• Reduction in median timeline from request to interconnection agreement to:
  
  • Less than one day for small systems (< 50kilowatts (kW)).
  • Less than 75 days for medium systems (50 kW – 5megawatts (MW)).
  • Less than 140 days for large systems (> 5 MW).
• Increasing completion rate from entering the interconnection queue to executing the interconnection agreement to:
  
  • > 99% for small systems (< 50 kW).
  • > 90% for medium systems (50 kW – 5 MW).
  • > 85% for large systems (> 5 MW).
• Availability of public, detailed, and current state-level interconnection queue data.
• Ensuring zero disturbance events on the bulk power system exacerbated by inaccurate distributed energy resource modeling.

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Are there any restrictions on how many applications an organization can submit?

Yes, each lead organization can submit only one application.

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Can an organization submit an application with two target regions?

Yes, organizations may have two target regions in the application if the reach of expertise of the partnership supports the ability to do so.

For additional questions, please contact info@energywerx.org