The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a draft loan guarantee solicitation for innovative renewable energy and energy efficiency projects located in the U.S. that avoid, reduce or sequester greenhouse gases. When finalized, the solicitation is expected to make as much as $4 billion in loan guarantees available to help commercialize technologies that may be unable to obtain full commercial financing.
‘Through our existing renewable energy loan guarantees, the department's Loan Programs Office helped launch the U.S. utility-scale solar industry and other clean energy technologies that are now contributing to our clean energy portfolio," says Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. "We want to replicate that success by focusing on technologies that are on the edge of commercial-scale deployment today."
The DOE has identified five key technology areas of interest: advanced grid integration and storage; drop-in biofuels; waste-to-energy; enhancement of existing facilities; and efficiency improvements.
The department says it welcomes public comment on a range of issues and will consider public feedback in defining the scope of the final solicitation, after which the Loan Programs Office will begin accepting applications.
