Posted by: Francis Koster Published: September 18, 2024

Community Power Accelerator Prize (Exp. December 17, 2024)

The Community Power Accelerator Prize is a $10 million funding opportunity designed to fast-track the efforts of new, emerging, and expanding solar developers and codevelopers in the U.S. to grow multiple successful community-benefiting distributed solar projects.  As part of a larger program initiated by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Community Solar Partnership, it brings together verified investors, philanthropic organizations, developers, community-based organizations, and technical experts in one online platform, where competitors can showcase credit-ready projects.

The current offering by the DOE Solar Energy Technologies Office marks a third round of competition for awards, which include funding and the following benefits:

  • Resources to connect developers with both public- and private- sector, project capital to build distributed solar projects using a standardized process.
  • Training on the full cycle of distributed solar development, including site acquisition, community relations, customer acquisition, financing, costs, and other aspects.
  • Free consulting services on the steps necessary to secure capital to build a portfolio of distributed solar projects.
  • Coaching for solar developers whose markets will include low- and moderate-income populations and disadvantaged communities.

 

Eligible Entities

The Community Power Accelerator Prize Round 3 is open to the following types of organizations:

  • Solar developers and co-developers, including new developers and experienced developers who are expanding their solar operations, such as
      • State, local, and Tribal governments and their agencies, including schools and school districts
      • Community-based organizations, such as local community health organizations, community action agencies, houses of worship, and community and economic development organizations, that have real estate portfolios
      • Multifamily affordable housing providers
      • Intermediary organizations such as community development institutions
      • General contractors with roofing and/or electrical experience
      • Other large real estate holders that may be available for solar deployment
  • Organizations that are partnering with a project developer, and
  • Other non-developer organizations

 

Eligible Activities

Round 3 of the prize seeks organizations that have the desire and ambition to develop and finance a portfolio of two or more projects that, in aggregate, total at least 1 MW AC of distributed solar generation. To be eligible, no single project may exceed 5 MW AC. Distributed solar projects may include but are not limited to:

  • Community solar
  • Behind-the-meter virtual power plants (VPPs)
  • Distributed energy resource (DER) aggregations
  • Microgrids
  • Commercial and industrial (C&I) solar
  • Multifamily projects.

Each eligible portfolio must include at least one of the following meaningful benefits bolded below:

  • Equitable Access and Consumer Protections (required benefit for portfolio submission)
  • Meaningful Household Savings (required benefit for portfolio submission)
  • Resilience, Storage, and Grid Benefits
  • Community-Led Economic Development
  • Solar Workforce Development

 

Award

Prize Phase Duration Anticipated Number of Awards Dollar Amounts 
Phase 1: Ready! 4 Months Up to 25 $50,000 per winning competitor

(total prize pool: $1,250,000)

Phase 2: Set!  6-10 months (anticipated) Up to 25

 

$200,000 per winning competitor

(total prize pool: $5,000,000)

Phase 3: Grow! 6-10 months (anticipated) Up to 25

 

$150,000 per winning competitor

(total prize pool: $3,750,000)

Important Dates

Information Webinar:  November 13, 2024
Phase 1 Submission Deadline:  December 17, 2024, 5 p.m. ET
Phase 1 Winner Announcement:  February 2025
Phase 2 Opens:  February 2025
Phase 2 Submission Deadline:  no later than December 2, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET.
Phase 2 Winner Announcement:  September 2025–January 2026 (anticipated)
Phase 3 Opens:  September 2025 (anticipated)
Phase 3 Submission Deadline: August 12, 2026 (anticipated)
Phase 3 Final Winner Announcement: October 2026 (anticipated)

Next Steps

On Nov. 13, prize administrators will hold an informational webinar on Round 3 of the Community Power Accelerator Prize.During the webinar, the team will provide participants with an overview of the prize, submission requirements, scoring criteria, winner selection process, and more. Prize administrators will also answer audience questions.

Register for the November webinarto learn more about Round 3 of the Community Power Accelerator Prize.A recording will be made available on HeroX shortly after each event for those unable to attend the live sessions.

Please review the Official Rules for the complete application process and instructions for competing.

If you want to receive updates on the prize or have questions, please subscribe by using the contact feature on the HeroX platform or send a message to communitypower@nrel.gov.

The American-Made Community Power Accelerator Prize is directed and administered by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office.  Learn more.

Copyright © 2020 The Optimistic Futurist. All Rights Reserved.

Francis P. Koster Ed.D.

Proven local solutions to national problems.

CONTACT

Francis P. Koster, Ed. D.

1012 Westlake Drive

Kannapolis, NC 28081

info@thepollutiondetectives.org

Copyright © 2023 America's Optimistic Futurist

Scroll to Top