The Office of Indian Energy intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement DE-FOA-0003298, CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGY DEPLOYMENT ON TRIBAL LANDS - 2024 This Notice is issued so that interested parties are aware of DOE's intention to issue this FOA in the near term. All of the information contained in this Notice is subject to change. DOE will not respond to questions concerning this Notice. However, once the FOA has been released, DOE will provide an avenue for potential Applicants to submit questions. Applications will be due about 90 days after the FOA is issued. Through this planned Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the DOE Office of Indian Energy plans to solicit applications from Indian Tribes, which include Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations to: 1. Install clean energy generating system(s) and/or energy efficiency measure(s) for Tribal Building(s) (Area of Interest 1); or, 2. Deploy community-scale clean energy generating system(s) or energy storage on Tribal Lands (Area of Interest 2); or, 3. Install integrated energy system(s) for autonomous operation (independent of the traditional centralized electric power grid) to power a single or multiple essential tribal buildings during emergency situations or for tribal community resilience (Area of Interest 3); or, 4. Power unelectrified Tribal Buildings (Area of Interest Area 4). Except for Area of Interest 4, projects proposed under this FOA are intended for Tribal Buildings that are either (1) grid-connected (which, for the purposes of the planned FOA, means the Tribal Building(s) are connected to the traditional centralized electric power grid), or (2) connected to a stand-alone (isolated) microgrid that operates autonomously from the traditional centralized electric power grid. Area of Interest 4 is intended to deploy integrated energy system(s) or energy infrastructure to provide electricity to Tribal Buildings which otherwise would be unelectrified, where unelectrified means Tribal Building(s) that are (1) not connected to the traditional centralized electric power grid, and (2) not connected to a stand-alone (isolated) microgrid that operates autonomously from the traditional centralized electric power grid. The DOE Office of Indian Energy envisions awarding multiple financial assistance awards in the form of grants. The estimated period of performance for each award will be approximately from two (2) to four (4) years, including a 12-month mandatory verification period. Under the planned FOA, DOE's Office of Indian Energy anticipates making awards that range from $100,000 to $2,500,000 or from $250,000 to $5,000,000, depending on the Area of Interest. The DOE Office of Indian Energy plans to issue the FOA spring 2024. If Applicants wish to be notified when the FOA is issued, they should subscribe to the DOE Office of Indian Energy email newsletter list on its website homepage (https://energy.gov/indianenergy). When the FOA is released, applications will be accepted only through IE-Exchange (https://ie-exchange.energy.gov). NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THROUGH THIS NOTICE. See the attached NOI for more details and the registrations needed prior to submitting an application. This is a NOI only. DOE may issue a FOA as described herein, may issue a FOA that is significantly different than the FOA described herein, or DOE may not issue a FOA at all.
Background
The Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Indian Energy intends to issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), entitled “Clean Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands – 2024”. The DOE Office of Indian Energy is charged by Congress under the Indian Tribal Energy Development and Self Determination Act of 2005 to promote Indian tribal energy development, efficiency, and use, reduce and stabilize energy costs, enhance and strengthen Indian tribal energy and economic infrastructure, and bring electric power and service to Indian land and homes for tribal members located on Indian lands or acquired, constructed, or improved with Federal funds.
Grant Details
The planned FOA aims to solicit applications from Indian Tribes, Alaska Native Regional Corporations, Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations for various clean energy technology deployment projects on Tribal Lands. The projects include installing clean energy generating systems and/or energy efficiency measures for Tribal Buildings, deploying community-scale clean energy generating systems or energy storage on Tribal Lands, installing integrated energy systems for autonomous operation to power essential tribal buildings during emergency situations or for tribal community resilience, and powering unelectrified Tribal Buildings. The FOA is intended to promote energy independence, economic development, and employment on Tribal Lands through the use of commercially warrantied clean energy technology.
Eligibility Requirements
The DOE Office of Indian Energy will only consider applications from Indian Tribes, Intertribal Organizations, or Tribal Energy Development Organizations on whose Tribal Lands the project(s) will be located. Applications from a consortium of Indian Tribes (Tribal Consortium) will be accepted but must be submitted by a single Indian Tribe acting as the Applicant and representing the Consortium. Additionally, evidence of authority to submit an application on behalf of Indian Tribe(s) is required.
Period of Performance
The estimated period of performance for each award will be approximately from two (2) to four (4) years, including a 12-month mandatory verification period. The FOA is planned to be issued in spring 2024.
Grant Value
The DOE Office of Indian Energy anticipates making approximately $25 million available with awards that range from $100,000 to $2,500,000 or from $250,000 to $5,000,000 depending on the Area of Interest.
Place of Performance
Tribal Lands as defined in the FOA will include various categories such as Indian lands within the boundaries of an Indian Reservation, lands held in fee simple by an eligible entity, land held under a long-term land lease by an eligible entity, and land conveyed to a Native Corporation pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act.
