The Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas (ERA) program will provide financial investment, technical assistance, and other resources to advance clean energy demonstrations and energy solutions in rural and remote areas that can be replicated and scaled. This program was created by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The goals of the program are to:
1. Deliver measurable benefits to energy customers in rural or remote areas by funding replicable energy projects that lower energy costs, improve energy access and resilience, and/or reduce environmental harm.
2. Demonstrate new rural or remote energy system models using climate-resilient technologies, business structures that promote economic resilience, new financing mechanisms, and/or new community engagement best practices.
3. Build clean energy knowledge, capacity, and self-reliance in rural America.
Deadlines:
The following types of entities are eligible to participate as prime recipients or subrecipients: 1. Institutions of higher education 2. Non-profit entities 3. For-profit entities 4. Tribal Nations 5. State and local governmental entities 6. Incorporated Consortia 7. Unincorporated Consortia
An entity may submit more than one Concept Paper and Application to this FOA provided that each Concept Paper and subsequent Application describes a unique, distinct concept and provided that an eligible Concept Paper was submitted for each Application. There are no limits to submissions by topic area by the prime applicant. DOE will notify applicants of its determination to encourage or discourage the submission of an Application, potentially including reviewer comments. DOE will post these notifications to OCED eXCHANGE.
