Program Supports Communities to Solve Energy Affordability and Reliability Challenges
Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation
August 13, 2026
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WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) today announced that applications are open for the Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP), which helps coastal, remote, and island communities develop more affordable, reliable, and secure energy systems through strategic energy planning support and deep-dive technical assistance.
Through ETIPP, National Laboratory researchers and regional partner organizations collaborate with communities across eight regions in the United States and its territories for up to 24 months to develop strategies for more resilient, affordable energy systems. In its first five cohorts, ETIPP has supported 95 community projects and partnered with local stakeholders, including local governments, Tribes, community-based organizations, and utilities, to strengthen energy systems in 21 states and territories.
“The ETIPP program has demonstrated year after year that empowering communities with the information they need to make decisions about their energy systems can help them create systems best suited for their local context,” said Dr. Carolyn Snyder, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Innovation, Affordability, and Consumer Choice. “Each ETIPP project is community-driven, and the program is proof positive that combining three tiers of perspectives—local leadership, regional insight, and national expertise—supports people in hard-to-reach places to design solutions that match their energy needs and priorities.”
ETIPP connects communities to local organizations and four DOE National Laboratories—Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR), Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Sandia National Laboratories—to help them successfully address challenges related to energy generation and storage, energy savings, transmission and distribution, workforce development, regulatory issues, and more. Each participant also receives support from a regional partner organization that has experience supporting community-based energy projects in their area and provides guidance before, during, and after ETIPP technical assistance.
In addition to in-kind technical assistance, communities accepted to ETIPP are also eligible to receive direct funding to support their ETIPP engagement. Communities participating in strategic energy planning may receive up to $20,000 to support a project, and those conducting longer-duration deep-dive projects may receive up to $50,000.
The 2026 ETIPP application period runs from Aug. 13 to Nov. 18, 2026, and prospective applicants are required to meet with a regional partner to discuss their project proposal before applying.
Visit the NLR ETIPP website or contact ETIPP@nlr.gov to learn more about the program, understand eligibility requirements, connect connect with regional partners, and apply.