Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Energy Improvement in Rural or Remote Areas Funding Opportunity Announcement

The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations is seeking applications for the Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) program, which aims to provide financial investment, technical assistance, and other resources to advance clean energy demonstrations and energy solutions in rural and remote areas. The program has three specific goals: delivering measurable benefits to energy customers, demonstrating new rural or remote energy system models, and building clean energy knowledge and capacity in rural America. The program will provide up to $300 million in funding for this opportunity, with individual awards ranging from $5 million to $100 million. Eligible applicants include domestic entities such as institutions of higher education, non-profit entities, for-profit entities, tribal nations, state and local governmental entities, and incorporated consortia. • The program will focus on two topic areas: Community-Scale Demonstrations and Large-Scale Demonstrations. • The program will require a cost share of 20% for domestic institutions of higher education, domestic non-profit entities, and U.S. state, local, or tribal government entities, and 50% for all other projects. • The program will prioritize projects that can be replicated and scaled, and that promote community energy solutions and regional climate challenges. • The program will require applicants to submit a Community Benefits Plan and to identify at least one applicable region for the project. • The program will encourage applicants to identify regional challenges and opportunities and to propose creative solutions to address those challenges.