Voucher Opportunity 3 (Recipients) - Clean Energy Demonstration Project Siting/Permitting Support (OCED/EERE)

States, local governments, tribes, and other Authority Having Jurisdictions (AHJs) interested in learning about and facilitating clean energy demonstration project siting and permitting processes should take advantage of this voucher opportunity. This opportunity is designed to help AHJs streamline siting and permitting processes to advance commercialization and demonstration of innovative clean energy technologies. See below for additional info about eligibility and timeline.

As part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Technology Commercialization Fund, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), and Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), in collaboration with ENERGYWERX, is offering its Clean Energy Demonstration Project Siting/Permitting Support Voucher Opportunity (VO-3) to eligible AHJs to understand new clean energy technology benefits and challenges, evaluate siting and permitting best practices developed by similar jurisdictions, develop streamlined permitting processes, and support community engagement on related issues. The ultimate goal is to increase adoption readiness of new clean energy technologies with a focus on challenges related to license to operate.

Note: In order to access the voucher provider list (the discussed .xlsx and .pdf files), you will need to successfully complete the eligibility form, which is part of your submission. Once the initial eligibility questions are successfully answered, you are permitted to access the actual application; and the .xlsx and .pdf files are located at the base of the application form. The eligibility/submission form can be found HERE.

The DOE Voucher Program builds bridges between U.S. entrepreneurs, businesses, technology developers or other relevant partners and third-party voucher providers to advance commercialization of innovative energy technologies. Voucher Opportunity (VO-3) enables expert assistance to help AHJs understand new clean energy technology benefits and challenges, evaluate siting and permitting best practices developed by similar jurisdictions, develop streamlined permitting processes, and support community engagement on related issues.

DOE has selected and pre-approved a cohort of voucher providers offering a variety of capabilities you might be interested into. For this voucher opportunity, capabilities include:

• Siting/Permitting
• Process Improvement
• Community Engagement

When you apply, you will review the available capabilities and submit your preferences in the submittable form. If you find something that can be valuable to your company and that can enable your company accelerate demonstration, commercialization, and deployment of your product, please consider applying to receive that in kind support.

Voucher Projects: Expected max voucher worth $100,000 of work. Vouchers will be distributed as in-kind support, meaning that ENERGYWERX will directly reimburse the voucher provider for the work they have completed on behalf of the voucher recipients. Only work related to specific technology areas will be eligible to receive a voucher under this opportunity. List of eligible technology areas:

-   With OCED funding:

• Advanced nuclear
• Carbon management (including carbon capture and direct air capture)
• Long-duration energy storage
• Clean hydrogen
• Industrial decarbonization
• Upgrades to the electric grid

-   With EERE funding:

• Advanced materials and Manufacturing Technologies
• Building efficiency
• Geothermal
• Solar
• Water
• Wind
• Bioenergy
• Vehicle technologies

Please note that funding is not equally available for all technology areas. The majority of funding for this voucher opportunity comes from OCED. DOE anticipates issuing approximately 25 vouchers at this time.

Voucher Recipients: Limited to AHJ’s or other relevant entities seeking to host clean energy projects that fit a specific technology vertical of interest for DOE OCED or EERE within their jurisdiction.

This opportunity is limited to one submission per requesting organization. In the case of multiple submissions, all submissions but the one with the latest time stamp will be disqualified.

Voucher Recipients: How to Participate in VO-3

1. Review the resources from the October 26, 2023 IW/OSS
2. Review resources from the November 9, 2023 Office Hours
3. Download the Voucher Recipient Needs Request: Click Here to Download
4. Complete the Submission Form and upload completed Voucher Recipient Needs Request: Click Here to Submit (Submissions are due No Later Than November 16, 2023, 5:00 PM ET)

In order to access the voucher provider list (the discussed .xlsx and .pdf files), you will need to successfully complete the eligibility form, which is part of your submission. Once the initial eligibility questions are successfully answered, you are permitted to access the actual application; and the .xlsx and .pdf files are located at the base of the application form. The eligibility/submission form can be found HERE.

Pending availability of funds, additional submission windows may open in the future for this voucher opportunity.

This is not the only voucher opportunity currently available through ENERGYWERX. See below for additional information related to other voucher opportunities:

• VO-1: Pre-Demonstration Commercialization Support (OCED/EERE)
  
• VO-2: Performance Validation, Modeling, and Certification Support (OCED/EERE)
  
• VO-4: Commercialization Support (EERE)
  
• VO-5: Commercialization Support (Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, FECM)

DOE is still finalizing selections; ENERGYWERX expects to make notifications in the coming weeks.

Informational Webinar/Objective Strategic Session (IW/OSS) [October 26, 2023 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET]: DOE will provide further details about Voucher Opportunities. Potential voucher recipients can better understand the scope, scale, and intent of the Voucher Program and ask questions of the DOE staff.

Office Hours [November 9, 2023 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET]: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will host Office Hours to answer any remaining questions from potential applicants before the submission deadline.

Voucher Recipient: November 16, 2023 at 5:00 PM ET

Voucher Recipient Timeline

Phase 1 – Voucher Recipients Request Submission Open [October 18, 2023 - November 16, 2023]: Interested potential voucher recipients should submit one (1) Voucher Recipient Needs Request.

• Informational Webinar/Objective Strategic Session (IW/OSS) [October 26, 2023 from 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM ET]: DOE will provide further details about Voucher Opportunities. Potential voucher recipients can better understand the scope, scale, and intent of the Voucher Program and ask questions of the DOE staff.
• Office Hours [November 9, 2023 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM ET]: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will host Office Hours to answer any remaining questions from potential applicants before the submission deadline.

‍Phase 2 – DOE Selection [December 2023]: DOE will review submissions based on relevance to the program objectives and will notify selected entities for next steps.
NOTE:  DOE may choose to meet with submitters or ask additional clarifying questions prior to selection.

Phase 3 – Voucher approval and start of work [January 2024]: Subsequently, voucher project will commence.

Complete the Submission Form and upload completed Voucher Recipient Needs Request: Click Here to Submit (Submissions are due No Later Than November 16, 2023, 5:00 PM ET)

Click HERE to review frequently asked questions.

Q: What are the eligibility requirements for voucher providers and recipients?

A: Please review the eligibility requirements for each Voucher Opportunity. In general, participation is open to any type of organization, unless specified in the Voucher Opportunity description.

Q: My company had an active DOE award after Jan 1, 2019 but was acquired by another company. Am I still eligible to apply to VO-1 or VO-4?

A: Only for-profit entities who received a DOE award/contract as prime recipient/contractor are eligible to apply to VO-1. Those entities as well as for-profit DOE prize winners are eligible for VO-4. Interested applicants can submit evidence of an acquisition, change of name, or change of the organization structure to prove the nexus between the applicant to the voucher and the entity who received DOE funding. DOE at its sole discretion will assess whether the nexus and the evidence provided meets the eligibility requirements for this voucher opportunity.

Q: My company had an active DOE award after Jan 1, 2019 to develop a new product and subsequently spun out a new company to commercialize that product. Am I still eligible to apply to VO-1 or VO-4?

A: Only for-profit entities who received a DOE award/contract as prime recipient/contractor are eligible to apply to VO-1. Those entities as well as for-profit DOE prize winners are eligible for VO-4. Interested applicants can submit evidence of an acquisition, change of name, or change of the organization structure to prove the nexus between the applicant to the voucher and the entity who received DOE funding. DOE at its sole discretion will assess whether the nexus and the evidence provided meets the eligibility requirements for this voucher opportunity.

Questions about ENERGYWERX

Q: What is ENERGYWERX?

A: ENERGYWERX is a neutral facilitator as a result of a Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) with the Department of Energy. ENERGYWERX will be coordinating the collection of applications, disbursement of funds, and voucher management for the Voucher Program.

Q: How does it work for performers?

A: Performers receive a formal Business-to-Business (B2B) Research and Development Agreement (RDA) and Statement of Effort (SOE) as a sub-award (15 U.S. Code, Section 3715) from ENERGYWERX.

Q: What is an ENERGYWERX Informational Webinar (Objective Strategic Session)?

A: Interested participants join a virtual, open forum session to engage with DOE Partners, Subject Matter Experts (SMEs), and other potential applicants regarding the DOE’s desired focus area(s) of interest.