This FOA seeks applications to address innovative solutions to retrofit non-powered dams with environmentally sustainable hydropower at a reasonable cost; applications to address development and testing technologies that mitigate challenges to pumped storage hydropower deployment, including market and revenue uncertainty, development costs and financing, long development timelines, permitting challenges, construction risks, and environmental impacts; and applications to address and encourage emerging organizations to support hydropower development. WPTO expects the amount of funding available for projects under this FOA will be approximately $14.5 million and cover the following topic areas:

1. Hydropower Retrofits for Non-Powered Dams;

2. Innovative Pumped Storage Hydropower Technologies; and

3. Hydropower R&D by Emerging Organizations.

Patents protect inventions so that inventors can focus on their work and be compensated for it. But many people don’t know how to navigate the patenting process, or even where to start. That’s why The Inventor’s Patent Academy was created. This free, one-of-a-kind, e-learning course aims to help people understand the patenting process and get them ready to apply for their own patent. It also explores challenges inventors may face along the way—particularly those that typically affect women, people of color, veterans, low-income individuals, people with disabilities, and other underrepresented inventors—and provides advice to overcome them.

Small businesses, currently located in Michigan, can apply for loans for qualified energy efficiency upgrades and renewable energy projects.

Projects must be: Ready-To-Go no later than 30 calendar days of the loan agreement effective date; Reduce energy consumption by at least 20% (building retrofits);  Equipment purchases for general- and advanced-manufacturing of commercially available products (retooling); and Contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

One million five hundred dollars (1.5M) in loan funds are available for eligible projects. Loan requests should be between $50,000-350,000, and limited to supplies, materials and equipment costs only. This solicitation is open until all available funds are exhausted.

The Business Accelerator Fund (BAF) is available to participating business accelerators in Michigan’s statewide SmartZone network. These funds are used toward the delivery of specialized services that are not otherwise available from these business accelerators to assist advanced technology companies regardless of the company’s geography. A participating business accelerator will engage a third-party specialist to help advance the client’s path to commercialization, company success, and economic impact for the state of Michigan.

BAF requests are reviewed and awarded through a competitive process. A company may not receive more than $50,000 in BAF services, though most engagements are in the $7,000 to $15,000 range.

This FOA focuses on innovation of wave energy converters (WECs) for nearshore environments across diverse coastal conditions through long duration at-sea testing and operations (i.e., two weeks to six months) and component/sub-system technology development and testing. It will additionally support commercialization opportunities for novel technologies and a feasibility assessment of an ocean current test facility off the coast of the United States.

WPTO encourages underserved communities and underrepresented groups to participate in this funding opportunity. Applicants are highly encouraged to include individuals from groups historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and math on their project teams. Further, minority-serving institutions, minority business enterprises, minority-owned businesses, woman-owned businesses, veteran-owned businesses, or entities located in an underserved community that meet the eligibility requirements described in the funding opportunity are encouraged to apply as the prime applicant or participate on an application as a proposed partner to the prime applicant.

WPTO estimates making up to 14 awards under the Marine Energy Systems Innovation at Sea funding opportunity, ranging between $300,000 and $2,125,000.

Note that a concept paper is due November 4, 2022.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (DE-FOA-0002711) will support the availability of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to reach climate goals by building upon these learnings to test, mature, and validate CCUS technologies at commercial-scale. One aspect is the need to improve practices regarding how to efficiently and cost-effectively characterize and permit commercial carbon storage project site(s) ensuring that secure geologic carbon storage is available in diverse regions and settings that will support longer term carbon management goals across the US.

The Community Clean Energy Coalition Prize is a $1.5M multi-phase competition. Awards will be given for new and existing coalitions dedicated to addressing community-identified energy challenges. This will invest directly in community-based organizations to achieve community solutions for clean energy challenges, EERE’s mission, and the DOE’s Justice40 priorities.

Phase I applications are due December 7.

The SolarAPP+ Prize is a $1 million program designed to accelerate the adoption of Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+).

SolarAPP+ is an automated permitting software tool that provides instant permit approval on code-compliant residential rooftop solar systems. SolarAPP+ has been adopted by dozens of Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs). For local governments that have adopted SolarAPP+, projects are permitted and inspected about two weeks faster than average, saving time for employees. Stage 1 closes November 4, 2022.

In stage 2, eligible competitors will have five months to submit proof of SolarAPP+ adoption for the opportunity to win cash prizes. To win the prize, the AHJ must begin piloting the application with contractors in their community on or before April 27, 2023.

The SolarAPP+ Prize is a $1 million program designed to accelerate the adoption of Solar Automated Permit Processing Plus (SolarAPP+).

SolarAPP+ is an automated permitting software tool that provides instant permit approval on code-compliant residential rooftop solar systems. SolarAPP+ has been adopted by dozens of Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs). For local governments that have adopted SolarAPP+, projects are permitted and inspected about two weeks faster than average, saving time for employees.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) will award prizes of $15,000 to local governments that successfully adopt or pilot SolarAPP+ in about five months. The prize funding will help local governments lower the cost of the adoption process.

Whether you are an individual with an idea, a climate impact startup, non-profit, established organisation, or volunteer group working on tackling the climate crisis, we’re here to help you find passionate, talented people to get involved with your climate cause through:

Donations – Small actions, big changes. Get your project funded with individual donations.

Skilled volunteers – Find passionate, talented people who want to use their skills and expertise to support projects and create a better planet for all.

Grow your team – Find candidates looking for full-time employment and ready to join your team. Please tell us a little about your organisation, yourself, and which of these types of engagement you’re interested in, and we’ll be in touch shortly to further understand what your needs are and get your project published on our platform.

The Resilience in Climate Equity award will be given to outstanding Women of Color in the Climate & Environmental movement. The award is meant to recognize the often hard, diligent, unpaid, and underpaid work of Women of Color in the movement. Preference will be given to Women of Color who have been historically excluded from mainstream environmentalism.

Award winners will receive: a stipend of $5,000, professional coaching, the opportunity to join us for our healing retreat in Belize February 2023, and the opportunity to join us for our first annual Rise to Thrive convening in 2023 and present on the work you do in the Climate, Conservation & Environmental community