The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Reliable Energy Siting through Technical Engagement and Planning (R-STEP™) program expands the decision-making capacity and expertise of state and local governments around large-scale renewable energy planning, siting, and permitting.
DOE has awarded $29 million total to 16 state-based collaboratives under the R-STEP program. Learn more about the selections.
Vision
By supporting state-level programs that serve as a resource to their local areas, R-STEP helps communities better plan for and meaningfully engage in the development of large-scale renewable energy and energy storage projects. This effort accelerates renewable energy deployment by supporting the establishment of more predictable, community-oriented, and science-based siting processes for renewable energy developers and permitting authorities.
Deploying these projects in a way that is informed by meaningful community engagement can unlock opportunities for community wealth-building, workforce development, increased grid resilience, and electricity bill savings, especially in rural or underserved communities. Through these collaboratives, state-based entities will act as trusted messengers to provide the capacity and knowledge needed for rapid, equitable expansion of renewable energy.
To support improved siting processes, R-STEP provides competitive funding and technical assistance, opportunities for state-to-state engagement, and informational resources like best practices. R-STEP will grow as a go-to resource for convening, information sharing, and supporting the expansion of state-based renewable energy planning, siting, and permitting programs.
Impact
Through two competitive rounds of funding, R-STEP is supporting 16 state-based collaboratives working across 17 states. These collaboratives are each implementing unique activities and developing resources tailored to the needs of stakeholders in their states. In addition, R-STEP awardees are receiving technical assistance from experts on topics such as environmental impacts, community benefit agreements, zoning ordinances, community engagement strategies, fire safety and codes, and much more.
What is Siting?
Renewable energy siting refers to a complex series of decision-making processes and actions that determine the location and design of new wind, solar, storage, or other renewable energy facilities.
State and local governments have critical roles in facilitating and approving large-scale renewable energy facilities but may not always have the resources, time, or expertise to proactively plan for future deployment of these facilities or to address siting barriers.
- Lead organization: Colorado Energy Office
- Award amount: $1.96 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will support inclusive engagement with communities and streamline the development of solar, agrivoltaics, wind, battery energy storage, and geothermal projects by providing tools, resources, and direct grants to local governments.
- Partners: Colorado Department of Natural Resources, Colorado Energy and Carbon Management Commission, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado Division of Water Resources, Colorado State Land Board, Colorado Department of Local Affairs, The Center for New Energy Economy, The Colorado Solar and Storage Association Institute, The Nature Conservancy, The Colorado Agrivoltaic Learning Center, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
- Lead organization: University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government
- Award amount: $1.96 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will improve local decision-makers' understanding of solar energy siting through targeted in-person and online presentations, user-friendly tools, robust training, peer-to-peer mentoring, and cross-community sharing.
- Partners: Georgia Environmental Finance Authority State Energy Resources Division, Georgia Wildlife Federation
- Lead organization: Boise State University
- Award amount: $1.95 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will create a centralized hub to connect Tribal, state, and county governments across Idaho with the resources and tools needed to make community-driven and fact-based planning and siting decisions for solar and wind projects.
- Partners: Idaho Tribal Nation Research Network, Idaho Governor’s Office of Energy and Mineral Resources, Idaho Association of Counties
- Lead organization: University of Illinois Extension
- Award amount: $1.9 million
- Approach and key objectives: The collaborative will build and maintain a cohort of trusted technical assistance providers in each county to help communities make informed decisions about renewable energy projects. The work will focus on developing education and outreach materials to support proactive decision-making by communities and local government officials.
- Lead organization: Purdue University Extension
- Award amount: $1.9 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will serve as a technical resource and community engagement hub to assist Indiana communities with renewable energy planning, evaluation, and decision-making.
- Partners: Indiana Office of Energy Development, Association of Indiana Counties, Ball State University, Center for Energy Education, Center for Infrastructure & Economic Development, Clean Grid Alliance, EDP Renewables, IN-ACRE, American Planning Association, Indiana University Public Policy Institute, JMW Co, Myerson Consulting, The Nature Conservancy
- Lead organization: Iowa State University Extension
- Award amount: $1.7 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will develop and disseminate educational resources for city- and county-level officials planning for renewable energy and energy storage facilities. The collaborative will also translate materials to Spanish and provide facilitation services to Iowa communities.
- Partners: Iowa Energy Office, Electric Power Research Center at Iowa State University, Center for Rural Affairs, Iowa Environmental Council, Great Plains Institute
- Lead organization: Louisiana Department of Natural Resources
- Award amount: $1.9 million
- Approach and key objectives: The collaborative will engage a diverse array of community partners in the state of Louisiana to inform the state agencies planning and decision-making for offshore wind facilities in state waters.
- Lead organization: Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy
- Award amount: $2 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will establish a one-stop-shop for resources and experts in the field of renewable energy siting and provide no-cost technical assistance to Michigan communities.
- Partners: University of Michigan Graham Sustainability Institute, Michigan State University Extension, 5 Lakes Energy, Michigan Association of Planning
- Lead organization: University of Minnesota Extension
- Award amount: $1.2 million
- Approach and key objectives: The collaborative will engage diverse stakeholders to assess needs, expand technical assistance services, and maintain training and educational resources to expand local officials' capacity to engage constructively in planning, siting, and permitting for large-scale renewable energy projects.
- Lead organization: Mississippi Energy & Natural Resources Division
- Award amount: $2 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will develop a large-scale solar energy development playbook and training course and provide technical assistance in collaboration with the Mississippi planning and development districts.
- Partners: Mississippi Energy Institute, Green & Healthy Homes Initiatives, Central MS Planning & Development District, Mississippi Public Service Commission, Interstate Renewable Energy Council
- Lead organization: North Carolina Clean Energy Technology Center
- Award amount: $2 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will create an online technical assistance and education hub to respond to specific concerns and needs from communities, local governments, landowners, and developers in North and South Carolina
- Partners: Center for Energy Education, South Carolina Energy Office, Southeastern Wind Coalition
- Lead organization: Oklahoma State University
- Award amount: $1.8 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will improve decision-making processes for siting solar, wind, and battery energy storage projects by convening a broad coalition of stakeholders and experts to create an online resource hub and provide technical assistance.
- Partners: University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Corporation Commission Public Utility Division, Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment, Oklahoma State Energy Office, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Oklahoma Water Resources Board, Oklahoma Natural Heritage Inventory, Advanced Power Alliance, Oklahoma Renewable Energy Council, Oklahoma Sustainability Network, Oklahoma Solar Association, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Farmers Union, The Nature Conservancy, Environmental Federation of Oklahoma, Adams Wind, Vesta Strategic Solutions
- Lead organization: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
- Award amount: $1.96 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will expand and enhance the decision-making capacity and expertise of local governments and community members for planning, siting, and permitting solar, wind, and battery energy storage projects by disseminating information through direct training, engagement, and outreach.
- Partners: Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Energy Programs Office, Penn State Extension Energy Team, Penn State Center for Energy Law and Policy, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors
- Lead organization: Virginia Department of Energy
- Award amount: $1.9 million
- Approach and key objectives: the collaborative will create a centralized, stakeholder-informed resource hub to provide trusted resources and access to trusted experts that will increase knowledge about energy fundamentals, economic development, environmental regulations and best practices, and planning for large-scale renewable energy development.
- Lead organization: Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians
- Award amount: $1.96 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will position Tribal governments as leaders, facilitators, and co-creators of culturally responsive siting and permitting resources, templates, and tools to support the development of solar and wind projects on no- and low-conflict sites.
- Partners: Washington State Energy Office, The Nature Conservancy, National Audubon Society
- Lead organization: University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension
- Award amount: $1 million
- Approach and key objectives: This collaborative will engage stakeholders and expand education and facilitation services to rural communities in the state to achieve coordinated, equitable, inclusive, and transparent processes for renewable energy and battery storage facility siting
- Partners: Wisconsin Public Service Commission, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Clean Wisconsin, Wisconsin Land & Water, UW-Madison, Office of Sustainability, Oneida Nation, Wisconsin Farmers Union, Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation, Wisconsin Towns Association, Apex Clean Energy.
Award amounts, specific objectives, and collaborative partners are subject to change pending negotiations. Selection for award negotiations is not a commitment by DOE to issue an award or provide funding. Before funding is issued, DOE and the applicant will undergo a negotiation process, and DOE may cancel negotiations and rescind the selection for any reason during that time. DOE award amounts are subject to change pending negotiations.
The R-STEP funding and technical assistance opportunity is managed by ENERGYWERX in partnership with the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office and Wind Energy Technologies Office in the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, and is made possible through the innovative Partnership Intermediary Agreement set up by the DOE Office of Technology Transitions.
Questions about the R-STEP funding and technical assistance opportunity can be submitted to info@energywerx.org.