Washington, DC - Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced approximately $5 million in funding for 16 states to enhance energy security, advance state-led energy initiatives, and improve energy productivity. Through DOE’s State Energy Program (SEP), each of the 16 awardees will work to advance energy efficiency, renewable energy, grid resiliency, and improve energy reliability and affordability. Several of the SEP projects are multi-state partnerships, expanding the impact of these investments.
The projects fall under three categories:
State Energy Planning
- DOE will fund approximately $1.6 million to assist four states - Colorado, Minnesota, North Carolina, and Utah - and Washington, D.C. to pursue comprehensive energy planning to enhance energy reliability, energy efficiency, grid modernization benefits, and other projects.
Innovative Opportunities for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Practices
- DOE will fund approximately $3.2 million to assist 10 states - Alabama, Alaska, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. States will implement an array of projects aimed at enhancing the resilience of states and communities, including rural communities; enabling financing for public or private sector energy investment; deploying mechanisms to enhance access to building energy use information; and partnering with local governments and workforce development.
Technical Assistance to Advance Clean Energy Activities
- DOE will fund approximately $275,000 to assist two states and one U.S. territory - New Jersey, Utah, and Guam - with providing technical assistance to expand the scope of existing work, including supporting energy efficiency in schools and advancing energy efficiency and renewable energy in low and moderate income communities.
State-led projects will culminate in replicable actions that other states and local governments can adopt.
Since 2007, the State Energy Program (SEP) has invested more than $77 million in 42 states through competitive awards to advance energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that are consistent with national energy goals.