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$10M Prize available to Fast-Track Efforts of New, Emerging, and Expanding Solar Developers

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) is launching Phase 1 of the Community Power Accelerator Prize Round 2.

Donor Name: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

State: All States

County: All Counties

Type of Grant: Accelerator

Deadline: 10/05/2023

Size of the Grant: $50,000

Grant Duration: 3 months

Details:

The Community Power Accelerator Prize is a $10 million, three-phase prize designed to fast-track the efforts of new, emerging, and expanding solar developers and co-developers to learn, participate in, and grow multiple successful community solar projects.

Through this prize, DOE seeks to increase the number of equitable community solar projects by providing:

  • Tools and resources to connect developers with private sector project financing for community solar projects using a standardized process.
  • Training to understand the full cycle of community solar development, including site acquisition, community relations, customer acquisition, securing financing, costs, and the unique challenges and benefits of a community solar model.
  • Free consulting services to competitors on the steps necessary to get a community solar project financed.
  • Coaching on expanding developers’ solar customer markets to include low- and moderate-income populations, disadvantaged communities, and local workforce development, as well as increased resilience to power outages and household savings to make community solar projects attractive to the widest range of customers possible.

Prize Information

The Community Power Accelerator Prize will award up to $10 million in cash prizes to winning teams.

  • Prize Phase Duration Anticipated Number of Awards Dollar Amounts
    • Phase 1: Ready!
      • Dollar Amounts: Up to 25 $50,000 per winning competitor (total prize pool: $1,250,000)
      • Duration: 3 months
    • Phase 2: Set!
      • Dollar Amounts: Up to 25 $200,000 per winning competitor (total prize pool: $5,000,000)
      • Duration: 4–7 months (anticipated)
    • Phase 3: Grow!
      • Dollar Amounts: Up to 25 $150,000 per winning competitor (total prize pool: $3,750,000)
      • Duration: 4–7 months (anticipated)

Eligibility Criteria

  • The Community Power Accelerator Prize is open to U.S. community solar developers, including new developers and experienced developers who are expanding their community solar operations. The prize also welcomes non-developer organizations such as local governments, nonprofits, and community-based organizations to apply.
  • Examples of new developers include (but are not limited to) organizations such as:
    • Community-based organizations (such as local community health organizations, community action agencies, community, and economic development organizations etc.) that have real estate portfolios and/or are in construction.
    • Multifamily affordable housing providers
    • State, local, and municipal governments
    • Intermediary organizations such as community development financial institutions (CDFIs)
    • General contractors with roofing and/or electrical experience
    • Socially and economically disadvantaged individual (SEDI) demographics-related business and women and minority-owned businesses
    • Other large real estate holders that could be available for solar deployment
    • Solar Co-Developers.

For more information, visit DOE.

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