DOE developed a $2.3 billion formula grant program to strengthen and modernize America’s power grid against wildfires, extreme weather, and other natural disasters that are exacerbated by the climate crisis. The program will distribute up to $2.3 billion over five years and will provide grants based on a formula that includes, among other things, population size, land area, probability and severity of disruptive events, and a locality’s historical expenditures on mitigation efforts. Priority will be given to projects that generate the greatest community benefit providing clean, affordable, and reliable energy to everyone, everywhere, anytime.

Competitors are now invited to submit physical prototype systems, emphasizing technological innovation and challenging entrants to think outside the standard forms, materials, and price points of commercially available products. Up to six competitors earning the most points for innovation exceeding minimum performance requirements will share an award of $2 million.

The Prototype Phase has two separate tracks: a luminaire track and a connected systems track. Competitors may submit an entry for either track or separate entries for both tracks. DOE will evaluate each track’s submissions independently. Participation in the prior Concept Phase is not required to be eligible for subsequent phases of the L-Prize.

Prototype submissions will be evaluated in person by the Expert Reviewer Panel for energy efficiency, lighting performance, functionality, and sustainability features. Competitors can earn points for exceeding the minimum technical requirements and for additional technical innovations and approaches to support diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agriculture (UIE) program supports research, education, and extension work by awarding grants to solve key problems of local, regional, and national importance that facilitate development of urban, indoor, and emerging agricultural systems. The program includes food value chain stages: production, harvesting, transportation, aggregation, packaging, distribution, and markets.

The Regional Climate Collaboratives (RCC) Program is a capacity building grant program for under-resourced communities that enables cross-sectoral partners to deepen their relationships and develop processes, plans, and projects that will drive and sustain climate action. RCC seeks to strengthen local coordination, leadership, knowledge, and skills with a focus on increasing access to funding resources for project planning and implementation

The purpose of this notice is to request applications for special projects and programs associated with NOAA’s strategic plan and mission goals, as well as to provide the general public with information and guidelines on how NOAA will select applications and administer discretionary Federal assistance under this Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). NOAA issues this BAA for extramural research, innovative projects, and sponsorships (e.g., conferences, newsletters, etc.) that address one or more of the following four mission goal descriptions contained in the NOAA Strategic Plan:

1. Climate Adaptation and Mitigation
2. Weather-Ready Nation
3. Healthy Oceans
4. Resilient Coastal Communities and Economies

The purpose of the RCP Program is to reconnect communities by removing, retrofitting, or mitigating transportation facilities such as highways and rail lines that create barriers to community connectivity including to mobility, access, or economic development. The program provides technical assistance and grant funding for planning and capital construction to address infrastructure barriers, restore community connectivity, and improve peoples’ lives. The variety of transformative solutions to knit communities back together can include: high-quality public transportation, infrastructure removal, pedestrian walkways and overpasses, capping and lids, linear parks and trails, roadway redesigns and complete streets conversions, and main street revitalization

On June 23rd, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced the Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CEMII) for Industrial Decarbonization through Electrification of Process Heating Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). This FOA will provide up to $70 million in federal funding to develop and fund a new institute that will conduct research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) focused on developing and scaling electrified processes that reduce emissions, improve flexibility, and enhance energy efficiency of industrial process heating.

Full applications are due October 25, and concept papers are due August 9.

The Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Science and Technology Policy Fellowship offers candidates an opportunity to learn about the federal government and its role in advancing renewable energy with the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) in Washington, D.C. SETO is interested in candidates with backgrounds including but not limited to physical and natural sciences, social science, engineering, policy, and entrepreneurship. Three levels of participation provide opportunities to a range of experience levels from recent graduates to experienced scientists and engineers to participate in the program. Selected candidates will receive a competitive stipend. Participants will use their expertise to support solar energy research and development by guiding strategy, designing funding programs, and managing SETO-funded projects in the following areas:

• Photovoltaic technologies
• Concentrating solar-thermal power technologies
• Grid systems integration technologies
• Behavioral science, strategic analysis, and technical assistance
• Manufacturing and technology transfer
• Environmental justice and finance
• Communication and stakeholder engagement

Geothermal energy is poised to be a key contributor in the shift to a sustainable energy future. The PIVOT 2022 SPE Datathon is going to challenge participants to solve a geothermal engineering problem using real field data from the Utah FORGE Project. Participants are going to use modern machine learning methods to create predictive models to aid future geothermal energy production. Participants are going to work on one of the largest geothermal datasets assembled including never before analyzed data. They will leverage their combined engineering and data skillsets to generate actionable insights to help solve the real-world design problem. First week of the competition will be for networking and team creation. The competition will start on June 27^th, 2022.

More details regarding prizes and data for the competition will be announced shortly.

The Solar Prize encourages the rapid development of innovative solar energy solutions capable of addressing the tough challenges facing the solar industry. Solar Prize competitors participate in three contests—the Ready!, Set!, and Go! Contests—to transform their ideas into reality in months, rather than years. Competitors have the chance to win part of $4.1 million in prizes to help them advance in the competition and accelerate the development of their solution.

Round 6 includes an optional additional challenge that focuses on advancing solar in underserved communities. Participants who choose to incorporate this initiative into their solutions have the chance to be considered for a new Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Contest and a bonus cash prize!

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), as part of its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, is seeking proposals from small businesses to develop novel environmental technologies. For Phase I, EPA awards firm-fixed-price contracts of up to $100,000 for 6 months for “proof of concept” of the proposed technology. Companies who have received the Phase I can submit a proposal for a Phase II award of $400,000 to further develop and commercialize the technology. The current solicitation topics are:

• Clean and Safe Water
• Air Quality & Climate
• Homeland Security
• Circular Economy/Sustainable Materials
• Safer Chemicals
• Risk Assessment

EnrichHER connects companies led by women and founders of color to the capital, coaching, and community they need to take their businesses to new heights. Access direct loans and lines of credits from $10k-$250k and $5k small business grants. Additionally, EnrichHER has a five-week Business Financing Accelerator to put you on the fast-track to funding and get you access to its network of funders.