• US DOE Establishes Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations
• DOE Loan Programs Office Backs Loan Guarantees

US DOE Establishes Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has announced the establishment of the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, a new DOE office that aims to help deliver the administration’s climate agenda.

President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides more than $20 billion to establish the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations and support clean energy technology demonstration projects in areas including clean hydrogen, carbon capture, grid-scale energy storage, and small modular reactors.

Mitch Landrieu, White House Senior Advisor and Infrastructure Implementation Coordinator, said the new office “reflects President Biden’s commitment to help Americans turn on the lights in their homes, drive to work, and power their businesses using clean, affordable, and sustainable energy.”

“Thanks to the investments Congress made in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations will move clean energy technologies out of the lab and into local and regional economies across the country, proving the value of technologies that can deliver for communities, businesses, and markets,” said Secretary of Energy Jennifer M Granholm.

“This new office will hire the best and brightest talent to invest in cutting edge clean energy projects, and DOE is calling on anyone dedicated to addressing the climate crisis to roll up their sleeves and join us.”

DOE said the office would be the department’s “hub” for speeding the maturation of near- and mid-term clean energy technologies, “with the goal of quicker commercial adoption and increased availability.”

The new DOE office will award funds through a competitive process, and “will solicit demonstration projects that address energy challenges that cut across technology silos.”

S&P Global quoted Meghan Claire Hammond, an associate with Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP, who represents energy industry clients on regulatory and transactional matters.

The office will consolidate project management expertise in one place “as opposed to being siloed in each of the applied energy offices,” Hammond said in an interview. “It’s a good way to get these projects through kind of the ‘valley of death’ between funding and demonstration.”

DOE is expected to expand its workforce of civil servants and contractors by more than 1,000 positions to staff the new office. Visit energy.gov/careers for job listings.

DOE is receiving $62 billion total from the President’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), the largest infusion of funding since the Department was created.

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DOE Loan Programs Office Backs Loan Guarantees

Under the new leadership of Director Jigar Shah, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office (LPO) has announced that more than $40 billion is available in loans and loan guarantees to fund innovative energy infrastructure projects.

The LPO has also announced new procedures, making it easier to apply for loan guarantees. Pursuing a loan or loan guarantee through the LPO offers unique funding opportunities and DOE support for energy and clean technology project developers, particularly those that are pursuing innovative technology for which commercial lending is less readily available.

LPO provides debt financing for the commercial deployment of large-scale energy projects; however, for research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) and smaller projects, other offices within DOE offer funding and financing opportunities.

After reading about the respective program’s requirements, potential borrowers are encouraged to seek a pre-application consultation to discuss eligibility requirements and the application process directly with LPO staff. Including a brief description of the proposed project in your email is helpful.

Title 17 Innovative Energy Loan Guarantee Program (Advanced Fossil Energy, Advanced Nuclear Energy, Renewable Energy & Efficient Energy), email lgprogram@hq.doe.gov
Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program, email atvmloan@hq.doe.gov
Tribal Energy Loan Guarantee Program, email telgp@hq.doe.gov

To learn more about how LPO likes to work with borrowers and how to eventually apply, visit the LPO Process page.

Information on loan guarantees for advanced nuclear energy projects is available here.

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