The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO) announced a $23 million funding opportunity that will establish a regional network of Technical Assistance Partnerships (TAPs) to help industrial facilities and other large energy users increase the adoption of on-site energy technologies.
Integrating clean energy technologies into buildings and plants will be essential in meeting the nation’s climate goals and achieving a net-zero economy by 2050.
Clean energy technologies
On-site energy TAPs will accelerate the integration and deployment of clean energy technologies to drive the U.S. industry’s decarbonization, productivity, and competitiveness.
The industrial sector is responsible for approximately 30% of energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and energy use in this sector is projected to increase by 31% over the next two decades. Clean on-site energy technologies can offer facility owners in the industrial sector a practical option to reduce their emissions and dependence on fossil fuels by generating electricity and heat from flexible, reliable, and affordable energy resources.
By generating and storing electricity and heat directly at their facilities, manufacturers can save money, reduce the uncertainty associated with fuel prices, and gain greater control over the availability of clean energy and how it is integrated into their processes.
Many on-site energy technologies also save energy and reduce operating costs by increasing efficiency and capturing usable energy.
This funding opportunity will establish on-site energy TAPs. Which will help facilities across the country integrate the latest on-site energy technologies. Providing specialized technical assistance ranging from initial facility reviews to identify on-site energy opportunities. To more advanced analyses to support project installation.
TAPs will have the experience to advise on a wide variety of technologies, including:
- battery storage,
- combined heat and power (CHP),
- district energy,
- fuel cells,
- geothermal,
- industrial heat pumps,
- renewable fuels,
- solar PV,
- solar thermal,
- thermal storage,
- and wind energy.
Collaboration with policymakers
The on-site energy Technical Assistance Partnerships will also collaborate with policymakers, utilities, and other key stakeholders to accelerate pathways for integrating on-site energy technologies. Additional activities will include:
- Developing publicly available tools and resources.
- Sharing best practices.
- Building partnerships that support decarbonization in the U.S. industrial sector.
This funding opportunity includes the following topic areas:
- Topic 1 – Regional On-site TAPs: Funding up to 10 entities to serve as regional on-site energy TAPs. Each TAP will represent a multi-state region. And serve as the primary technical, market, and policy point of contact for end users and other state and local stakeholders.
- Theme 2: On-site Energy Technical Analysis and Support Center. Funding for a national entity to serve as the On-site Energy Technical Analysis and Support Center (TASC). The TASC will centrally coordinate the technical analysis and programmatic activities of the on-site energy TAPs.
It can be of your interest: Investments to Support America’s Energy and Industrial Communities
