Grid Deployment Office: September Newsletter
Grid Deployment Office | U.S. Department of Energy
DOE GDO leads efforts to modernize and upgrade the U.S. electrical grid and critical electricity-generating facilities.
Recent Announcements
Biden-Harris Administration Invests $2.2 Billion in the Nation's Grid to Protect Against Extreme Weather, Lower Costs, and Prepare for Growing Demand
Projects Funded by the Investing in America Agenda Will Add Nearly 13 gigawatts (GW) of Capacity to Support Increased Manufacturing, Data Centers, and Renewable Power While Catalyzing Nearly $10 Billion in Public-Private Investments and Creating Thousands of Jobs
In support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, on August 6, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced a $2.2 billion investment in the nation’s grid for eight projects across 18 states to protect against growing threats of extreme weather events, lower costs for communities, and catalyze additional grid capacity to meet load growth stemming from an increase in manufacturing and data centers. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program, the projects selected will catalyze nearly $10 billion in total public and private investment to bring reliable, affordable, clean energy to Americans. This deployment of new, innovative transmission infrastructure and technology upgrades to the existing grid will add nearly 13 GW of grid capacity—including 4,800 megawatts of offshore wind—allowing more clean power to reach customers across the country. These projects will create at least 5,000 good-paying jobs and upgrade more than 1,000 miles of transmission in total.
Part of DOE’s Building a Better Grid Initiative and authorized by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the GRIP Program funding represents the federal government’s single largest direct investment into critical grid infrastructure – part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s historic actions to get grid updates funded, permitting, and deployed across the country. The selections are made through Grid Innovation Program grants, one of three GRIP funding mechanisms, that seek to deploy projects that use innovative approaches to transmission, storage, and distribution infrastructure to enhance grid resilience and reliability. View The Full List Of Projects.
Biden-Harris Administration Invests $430 Million to Upgrade America's Hydropower Infrastructure
The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America Agenda Will Support 293 Projects Across 33 States to Improve Hydroelectric Facilities, Increase Dam Safety, Mitigate Fish and Wildlife Impacts, and Increase Access to Affordable, Carbon-free Electricity
As part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda, on September 5, 2024, DOE announced the selection of 293 hydroelectric improvement projects across 33 states that will receive up to $430 million in incentive payments to upgrade hydropower facilities – in operation for an average of 79 years. Administered by the Grid Deployment Office (GDO) and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectricity Incentive program will enhance dam safety, improve grid resilience at 215 facilities, and protect 6,000 existing jobs at hydropower facilities as well as contractors and vendors.
The full list of selections can be found online. In addition, GDO will host a public webinar on the selections on September 11, 2024, from 1:00 to 1:30 p.m. ET. Registration is required.
DOE anticipates releasing a second round for Maintaining and Enhancing Hydroelectric Incentives next calendar year. View The Press Release.
U.S. Department of Energy Announces $325 Million for Solar and Battery Storage for Community Healthcare Facilities and Multi-Family Housing in Puerto Rico
DOE’s new Programa de Comunidades Resilientes Will Fund Reliable Solar Energy at Facilities Across Puerto Rico Serving Low- and Moderate-Income Communities
On August 28, 2024, DOE announced a $325 million funding opportunity for the new Programa de Comunidades Resilientes, supported by the Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund (PR-ERF). This program aims to improve energy resilience for vulnerable populations across Puerto Rico, funding solar and battery storage installations for community healthcare facilities as well as community centers and other common areas within public housing and privately owned subsidized multi-family properties.
Applicants for this funding opportunity may include individual entities or teams based in Puerto Rico that can coordinate the deployment of solar and battery storage systems across many individual sites. Organizations that are interested in applying as part of a team for this funding opportunity may access an online Teaming Partner List to express their interest to other applicants and explore potential partnerships. Applications to this funding opportunity are due on October 22, 2024, at 5:00 PM EST. Read The Press Release. Lea Este Comunicado De Prensa En Español.
DOE Issues Request for Information to Inform West Coast Offshore Wind Transmission Action Plan
RFI Calls for Feedback on Barriers, Challenges to Capturing and Delivering Clean, Reliable West Coast Offshore Wind Power to Communities in Need
On August 19, 2024, DOE issued a Request for Information (RFI) focused on West Coast offshore wind (OSW) transmission. Supported by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), this RFI is part of a multi-tiered approach to gather information to address challenges and barriers to efficiently capturing clean, reliable power from West Coast offshore wind resources and delivering it to communities that need it the most. Since 2021, DOE and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management have been collaborating to advance OSW off both the Atlantic and West Coasts in support of meeting the Biden-Harris Administration goal of deploying 30 GW of OSW by 2030 and 15 GW of floating OSW by 2035, as well as unlocking a pathway to deploy 110 GW by 2050.
This RFI offers the opportunity to submit a written response on transmission topics, including siting, technology, and policy considerations for the West Coast. Responses must be received by October 3, 2024, and can be sent by emailing OSWTransmission@hq.doe.gov. Learn More.
News and Updates
Building a Better Grid Awards Newsletter
To share how historic levels of federal and private investment are positively impacting communities across the country, this new monthly newsletter from GDO showcases grid projects that have successfully completed award negotiations and are beginning work. Each month will contain representative examples of work underway.
August’s roundup of finalized awards includes projects from the GRIP Program; Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants; Puerto Rico Energy Resilience Fund; and Transmission Facilitation Program.
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and GDO Launch Inclusive Transmission Planning (ITP) Project
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in partnership with GDO is offering technical assistance to transmission planners, including Regional Transmission Organizations, Independent System Operators, Power Marketing Administrations, and utilities. The goal of the technical assistance is to help interested transmission planners identify opportunities to improve community engagement and integrate equity considerations in transmission planning processes. PNNL will offer this technical assistance through the development of targeted resources, conducting trainings and webinars, and technical analysis and direct consultation.
Technical Assistance Offered:
Tier I: Capacity Building — Participants will receive short-term support from lab staff to provide educational resources, information, materials, and/or consultation on best practices or other considerations of energy equity in transmission planning.
Tier II Advanced — Participants will receive extended support from lab staff to assist in integrating energy equity in transmission planning through deep-dive analysis, modeling, and analytical support.
The online application form must be completed and submitted by 11:59 PM PT on October 31, 2024, for consideration.
For more information and to register for the introductory webinar on September 17, 2024, at 10 a.m. ET, visit the ITP technical assistance website. Learn More.
New $11.2 Million Program to Pilot Clean Energy and Electric Vehicle Interconnection Queue Management
DOE’s Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (i2X) team and the Joint Office of Energy and Transportation just launched the Innovative Queue Management Solutions for Clean Energy Interconnection and Energization program. This program will award $11.2 million to distribution utilities to pilot innovative solutions for managing renewable energy interconnection and electric vehicle charging equipment energization queues. For more information, attend office hours on September 19 at 3 p.m. ET. Applications are due October 16 at 3 p.m. ET. Learn More About The Program.
Road Trip on the Transmission Highway: GDO Anniversary
Fueled by historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and IRA investments, the critical work to modernize and enhance our nation’s power grid is not only gaining speed—it is paving the way for a bright energy future. ICYMI, last month we took a virtual road trip on the “transmission highway” as we explored key milestones and made a few stops along the way to highlight how the important work at GDO is making a difference in our daily lives.
We celebrated our two-year anniversary on August 10 and over the past year, GDO has been supercharged by expanding transformative programs rooted in meaningful stakeholder and community engagement, deploying historic funding for projects to drive widespread infrastructure improvements, and accelerating access to clean, affordable energy. From enhancing grid capacity to improving power reliability, every accomplishment and milestone marks progress toward a more resilient future. Check Out Our Latest Blog.
Sparking Transmission Deployment: IRA Anniversary
Plugging into the transformative deployment of transmission infrastructure and building a more resilient power grid that provides reliable electricity when and where it is needed most is an exciting job! At GDO, we are flipping the switch on our nation’s aging infrastructure by advancing transmission solutions that can meet the increasing demand for electricity while sparking economic growth and transforming communities across the country.
Through the historic IRA, these investments are an opportunity to create good-paying jobs, revitalize communities, improve health, lower energy bills, and increase energy independence for the United States. GDO oversees approximately $2.9 billion in IRA funding to support transmission siting and economic development, facility financing, offshore wind transmission planning and analysis, and environmental reviews. Read The Blog.
Largest DOE Fellowship Class to Date Will Help Advance Clean Energy Projects Across the Country
On August 21, 2024, DOE announced the 2024 class of the Clean Energy Innovator Fellowship (CEIF), placing fellows at 68 critical energy organizations across 38 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
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GDO is funding 11 fellows in the 2024 Class to support state energy offices in Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, and Wisconsin and public utility commissions in Connecticut and Wyoming.
CEIF recruits recent graduates and energy professionals from diverse backgrounds to spend up to two years supporting Host Institutions’ clean energy projects under the guidance of a designated mentor. Fellows receive hands-on experience advancing solutions that will help decarbonize the power system, electrify transportation and industry, and make the U.S. power system more resilient, equitable, and inclusive. Learn More.
Climate One: What the FERC Is Going on With the Electric Grid
GDO Director Maria Robinson joined Climate One’s podcast on August 16, 2024, along with other experts, to discuss the urgent need to modernize and strengthen our nation’s grid. Listen To The Podcast.
Open Opportunities
OPPORTUNITY: West Coast Offshore Wind Transmission Planning
OPPORTUNITY: Programa de Comunidades Resilientes
Upcoming Events
Meeting: Programa de Comunidades Resilientes
Meeting: Inclusive Transmission Planning Project Technical Assistance Listening Session - Communities
Meeting: Inclusive Transmission Planning Project Technical Assistance Listening Session – State Agencies
Meeting: Inclusive Transmission Planning Project Technical Assistance Listening Session – State Agencies
Recent Meeting Materials
Meeting: Office of Infrastructure's Two-Year Celebration of the IRA
Meeting: NASEO Davis Bacon Act and LCPtracker Training for States and Territories
Resources
Explore Available Grid Resilience and Transmission Planning Resources
Do you know which transmission planning and grid resilience financing program is right for your project? With more options now for financing and investment through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, as well as other existing DOE transmission and grid programs, GDO’s Grid and Transmission Program Conductor’s interactive tool can help identify which opportunities may be best suited to bring your project to fruition.
Are you interested in figuring out which program can help you build an affordable, reliable, clean energy future for your community? GDO’s State and Tribal Grid Resilience and Transmission Planning Resource Hub provides valuable resources geared specifically to community partners to ensure we maximize regional and community benefits.
Check out the Grid and Transmission Program Conductor and the State and Tribal Grid Resilience and Transmission Planning Resource Hub.
Catch Up on the Latest Blogs from GDO
Our blogs cover a wide range of captivating topics and offer an opportunity for you to meet members of our team with staff profiles. You can also find a repository of success stories and project updates.
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