Public power communities are included among the fourth round of award recipients recently announced by the U.S. Department of Energy through the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program.
The EECBG Program will distribute $17.28 million to four states, 23 local governments, two Tribes, and the territory of Guam “to improve energy efficiency, reduce carbon emissions, and lower overall energy use to help save residents money on energy in the long run,” DOE said on Feb. 28.
The EECBG Program, through the DOE Office of State and Community Energy Programs and funded by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, is designed to fund a wide range of energy efficiency and decarbonization projects.
Through the program, 1,878 local governments, 774 Tribes, 5 territories, the District of Columbia, and all 50 states are eligible to receive these formula funds. The program funding is highly flexible, with over 14 categories of eligible use, “allowing grantees to invest in projects that align with efforts already in motion to lower energy costs, plan for a clean energy future, and reduce energy burden,” DOE said.
This is the fourth tranche of formula awards granted to EECBG Program eligible entities. Since the first awards were announced in October 2023, the EECBG Program has awarded $91.51 million to 97 communities.
Public power community recipients are as follows:
- Guam will install solar panels, battery storage, and 540 solar LED lights to eleven government buildings, prioritizing community centers in disadvantaged communities. These projects will improve light quality, bolster climate resilience, and cut operational costs. Cost savings from the clean energy upgrades will enable community centers to direct more resources to programming for underserved youth. (Award amount: $1,572,930)
- Gainesville, Fla. will provide rebates to 25-30 low-income households for energy efficiency upgrades through the city-owned utility's Low Income Energy Efficiency Program (Award amount: $189,820)
- Jacksonville, Fla. will perform energy audits and weatherization repairs for 110 low-income households with high energy burdens in partnership with the local utility and community-based organizations (Award amount: $845,350)
- Longmont, Colo. will conduct weatherization, energy efficiency, and electrification upgrades in 10-15 low-income households to reduce energy burdens and increase whole-home health. Upgrades may include insulation, heat pumps, and induction stoves (Award amount: $148,550)
- Seaford, Del. will perform solar lighting retrofits on 52 existing streetlights in two outdoor public spaces (Award amount: $75,320)
View the full list of EECBG Program-funded projects to date on DOE’s website.
The deadline for Tribes to apply for EECBG Program formula funds has been extended to May 31, 2025. The deadline for local governments – including Puerto Rican municipios – is April 30, 2024.
Local governments and Tribes have the option to apply for traditional grants or vouchers for equipment rebates or technical assistance.
In November 2023, DOE launched the Voucher Portal to submit voucher applications. This streamlined platform and application will reduce the administrative burden of applying for and managing EECBG Program awards, it said.
DOE offers technical assistance to EECBG Program eligible entities to prepare their applications and energy efficiency and conservation strategies, develop project plans, and identify opportunities in their communities. Technical assistance opportunities include EECBG Program Blueprints and cohort training sessions, as well as the option to apply for in-house implementation support via a Community Energy Fellow (for those pursuing traditional grants). The deadline for grantees to apply for this in-person support is March 5, 2024.
Formula awards are announced on a monthly basis. For more information on eligibility, how to apply, and available technical assistance, see the EECBG Program website.
