DOE to award $22M to improve permitting process for clean energy projects

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is awarding up to $22 million to improve planning, siting, and permitting processes for large-scale renewable energy facilities.

About $10 million of that amount will go to six state-based projects through the Renewable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP) program to develop and expand statewide initiatives.

Then, DOE plans to open a second round of the program with up to $12 million in funding from the Inflation Reduction Act.

“Solar and wind energy and battery storage are on the rise throughout America. This year, we expect these to make up a record-breaking 94% of our nation’s new electric-generating capabilities,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm said. “Often, the biggest barrier to deploying that clean generation is siting and permitting. The Biden-Harris Administration is helping provide local leaders with the resources needed to deploy more clean energy to their residents in a way that is tailored to their unique needs.”

A significant portion of large-scale renewable energy and energy storage projects are likely to be built on private lands, where state and local authorities make permitting decisions. The R-STEP collaboratives will evaluate the needs of their stakeholders and develop state-specific educational materials and technical assistance programs.

Through these collaboratives, state-based entities will act as trusted messengers to provide the capacity and knowledge needed for the rapid expansion of clean energy. The selected state collaboratives are:

Indiana ($1.9 million): Led by Purdue University Extension, the collaborative will serve as a technical resource and community engagement hub to assist Indiana communities with renewable energy planning, evaluation, and decision-making.

Iowa ($1.7 million): Led by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, the collaborative will develop and disseminate educational resources for city- and county-level officials planning for renewable energy and energy storage facilities. The collaborative will also translate materials to Spanish and provide facilitation services to Iowa communities.

Michigan ($2 million): Led by Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, the collaborative will establish a one-stop-shop for resources and experts in the field of renewable energy siting and provide no-cost technical assistance to Michigan communities.

Mississippi ($2 million): Led by Mississippi Development Authority Energy & Natural Resources Division, the collaborative will develop a large-scale solar energy development playbook and training course and provide technical assistance in collaboration with the Mississippi planning and development districts.

North Carolina and South Carolina ($2 million): Led by the North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center, the collaborative will create an online technical assistance and education hub to respond to specific concerns and needs from communities, local governments, landowners, and developers in North and South Carolina.

Wisconsin ($1 million): Led by the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, the collaborative will engage stakeholders and expand education and facilitation services to rural communities in the state to achieve coordinated, equitable, inclusive, and transparent processes for renewable energy and battery storage facility siting.