Dive Brief:
- The U.S. Department of Energy is providing more than $31 million in formula grants to 19 state and local governments to boost energy efficiency efforts.
- The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program funds will assist state and local governments with clean energy and infrastructure upgrades, the DOE said in a Nov. 14 news release.
- At least eight states received more than $2 million each for activities that include building retrofits, energy audits, decarbonization studies and solar installations.
Dive Insight:
The EECBG program, funded by the bipartisan infrastructure law, has made more than $430 million available in formula grant funds to over 2,700 eligible states, territories, local governments and tribes across the U.S., the release said.
Grantees can opt for activities from 14 eligible categories of clean energy projects and programs that meet clean energy goals and local needs. Every state is required to subgrant at least 60% of its funds to local governments that are ineligible for a direct formula award from the DOE.
Texas, which received $4.85 million, intends to deploy sub-grants to local governments for energy retrofits in public buildings and the state’s Harris County is set to receive $1.63 million for climate justice planning, solar and storage site assessments and deployment of solar EV charging stations.
Massachusetts, which received around $2.5 million, intends to initiate sub-grants that would bolster the capacity of local governments’ energy planning and decarbonization efforts such as hiring an energy manager, conducting decarbonization studies and undertaking weatherization retrofits for municipal and school buildings, the DOE said.
Denver received $655,720 to set up a climate resilience hub at the Central Park Recreation Center. The project will involve connecting energy system controls, battery storage, high-efficiency electrified heating and an existing solar carport.
Ann Arbor, Michigan, will channel $182,360 toward renovating its Bryant Community Center into a net-zero resilience hub. This project involves a full building retrofit that includes solar panels, battery storage systems, heat pumps, EV charging stations and holistic weatherization. Austin will use its $855,340 grant to conduct energy audits and install efficient equipment upgrades in the city’s government facilities located in disadvantaged communities.
Other grant winners include the states of Illinois, $2.9 million; South Carolina, $2.17 million; Wisconsin, $2.33 million; and West Virginia, $1.8 million.
These funds add to the $550 million the DOE issued last November to reduce emissions and energy costs through the EECBG program.
The 19 grantees announced this month represent the second tranche of funding from the EECBG program this year, the department said. The program announced its first round of 16 grantees in October. The DOE said it plans to award and announce formula funding on a “rolling” basis. Local governments and tribes can apply for traditional grants, technical assistance or vouchers for equipment rebates. The deadline for local and tribal governments to file their applications is April 30, 2024.
