Weekly Jolt ? Clean Energy Innovations, Grid Glow-Ups, and More!

Come Work With Us ??

EERE’s Solar Energy Technologies Office and Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) present: the Solar Technologies’ Rapid Integration and Validation for Energy Systems (STRIVES) funding opportunity! ?? STRIVES offers over $30 million for projects that improve power system software and introduce new distributed solar and wind generation (and energy storage!) business models. ??? Attend the webinar on June 10 to learn more and submit your concept paper by July 15!

The Winners’ Circle ??

?? Let’s hear it for the phase one winners of the Solutions for Lasting Visible Energy Infrastructure Technologies (SOLVE IT) Prize! The prize challenges competitors to find and apply clean technology solutions to address the unique needs of their communities. ???? Learn more about the winners and how the SOLVE IT Prize supports community clean energy projects across the country!

Congratulations to the 2024 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition (MECC) winners! MECC tasks student teams to develop marine energy technology solutions, preparing them for career paths in support of the blue economy. This year’s winners harnessed the power of waves ??, tides ??, and currents ?? to tap into the abundance of marine energy—read the announcement to learn more!

?? Kudos to 美国俄亥俄州立大学 and Wilberforce University , the year two champions of the EcoCAR Electric Vehicle Challenge! This challenge helps students develop the skills they need for future electric vehicle (EV) careers. ??? Learn more about how the year two winners took on real-world EV challenges!

In Case You Missed It ??

?? DOE’s Office of Electricity has provided over $10 million to fund multi-year research, development, and demonstration of microgrid-related technologies to make clean energy available and affordable in remote areas of the country, especially in underserved communities. ????? Read the full announcement to learn how microgrid solutions can make the electric grid more reliable and resilient!

?? Don’t forget to apply for technical support for your community’s energy resilience planning! The Energy Transitions Partnership Project has already helped 32 remote and island communities address local priorities and goals by combining national laboratory research ?? with support from local organizations. ?? Be sure to apply by July 10, especially if you’re from Hawaii or from the Gulf Coast or Great Lake regions!

What’s New in Sustainable Transportation and Fuels? ?????

EERE’s Bioenergy Technologies Office released the results of their request for information (RFI) on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF)! ???? Thanks to this RFI, we’re one step closer to building supply chains that provide SAF while lowering life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions by 50% compared to conventional fuel. ?? Read the full RFI Summary Report to learn more!

What’s New in Renewable Energy? ??

?? EERE’s Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE) is breaking ground with their second successful well stimulation, connecting two geothermal wells to transfer energy! ?? By tapping into this human-made geothermal system, the FORGE team continues reaching milestones, leading them closer and closer to providing clean geothermal power to Americans across the country. ???? Read the announcement to learn more!

?? Did you know that we can build offshore wind energy developments without harming the surrounding wildlife? WETO's Wildlife and Offshore Wind (WOW) project studies how offshore wind energy construction projects impact marine life, so we can ensure our clean energy advancements are compatible with our aquatic friends, from fin whales ?? to black-backed gulls! ?? Learn more about the WOW teams’ work.

?? The WOW researchers aren’t the only ones proving power and environmental protection can coexist! EERE’s Water Power Technologies Office aims to reduce the environmental impact of hydropower facilities????through their HydroWIRES Initiative as the grid starts including more renewable energy sources. ???? As hydropower becomes especially critical to achieving a clean energy future, learn more about the actionable energy-environment win-wins that ensure a reliable and stable power grid while keeping the environment safe.