DOE accepting competitive applications for $40M in energy efficiency workforce training
The Biden administration announced last week that the United States Department of Energy (DOE) has opened applications for $40 million in funds to aid workforce development with energy efficiency certifications.
Applications are part of the Energy Auditor Training program (EAT), and will be competitive. Ultimately, they will provide grants to states to train people for energy audits or surveys of commercial and residential buildings. Funds were provided to the EAT program by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, as a way to increase the qualified green building workforce and support national energy efficiency upgrades.
“It is vital that we build a strong clean energy workforce with high quality jobs to ensure we can deploy investments in communities across the country,” Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “By equipping America’s workers with additional skills, today’s funding will expand our clean energy workforce by allowing workers from broad industries to conduct energy audits, in a safe and reliable way, empowering them future forward.”
Applicants will need to submit a Community Benefits Plan alongside their actual proposals, detailing how it will support local community and labor, invest in the workforce, advance diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility measures, and assist economic and environmental justice pushes. Administration will be overseen by the DOE’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs.
Concept papers are due by March 28, 2024, but the full applications will have until June 28, 2024.
