The U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project (ETIPP) works alongside coastal, remote, and island communities that are seeking to improve the resilience, affordability, and reliability of their energy systems. ETIPP helps these communities overcome the unique geographical and logistical challenges that limit their access to affordable, reliable, and secure energy resources.
This multi-year, cross-sector technical assistance program applies a tailored approach to each participating community. Leveraging the experience and expertise of its partner network—a broad coalition of local stakeholders, regional organizations, national laboratories, and DOE offices—ETIPP helps communities proactively identify and implement solutions that suit their particular needs.
ETIPP offers two tracks: strategic energy planning (four to eight months) and deep-dive technical assistance (12 to 24 months) for specific energy projects. Selected communities receive support for a project scoping phase, followed by energy planning and analysis projects that:
- Address the community’s energy priorities, goals, challenges, and opportunities.
- Advance the community’s ability to implement strategic, whole-systems solutions.
- Develop replicable approaches that can add value in neighboring communities, or those with similar characteristics.
In addition to direct funding, communities participating in ETIPP can expect substantial in-kind support from partnering national labs in the form of energy analysis, planning, and, where appropriate, support for leading-edge technology solutions. ETIPP regional partners also provide general program guidance and education.
ETIPP uses the Energy Technology Innovation Initiative’s (ETI’s) proven framework to find solutions to community energy challenges and share best practices and innovations. The program has supported 95 projects since its inception in 2020.
25 new communities to ETIPP are located across the United States, with Port Orford being one of three in the Pacific Northwest. Image by Fred Zietz, NREL
ETIPP communities like Port Orford work with national laboratories—in this case, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and the National Lab of the Rockies—to find solutions tailored to local energy challenges. In addition, regional partner organizations—including Spark Northwest—build bridges between local residents and national laboratory experts through deep knowledge of local energy ecosystems and cultural nuances.
Port Orford initiated its ETIPP technical assistance project with a strategic energy planning effort aimed at addressing a variety of coastal resilience challenges, such as extreme weather and disaster preparedness, power outages, and renewable power generation, and will soon share this strategic energy plan with the community.
ETIPP is funded by DOE’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy and administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Visit the ETIPP website to learn more about the program.