The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is planning to terminate roughly 600 grants nationwide, according to a list obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News. As of now, the list currently includes two DOE contracts awarded to the Solar and Storage Industries Institute (SI2).
In response SI2’s , Executive Director, David Gahl issued the following statement:
“As DOE appears to be contemplating more cuts across its portfolio, two of SI2’s grants seem slated for cuts: one focused on improving community engagement and public understanding of energy projects, and another bringing industry, environmental organizations, and community groups together to streamline siting and permitting. Both efforts seek to produce technology-neutral results and are important for building power plants.”
“While it is unclear if these proposed cancellations are final, there is no doubt that in cancelling grants like these, the administration would make it harder to build the energy infrastructure Americans rely on.”
“Cancelling these contracts would be inconsistent with DOE’s policies of encouraging energy abundance and meeting growing demand, and we will use every tool in our toolbox to defend them.”
Background:
- In June 2024, SI2 won a $2.5 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy as part of its Solar Energy Evolution and Diffusion Studies 4 (SEEDS 4) program, to test and evaluate innovative community engagement practices used in large-scale solar project siting and permitting.
- In the fall of 2024, SI2 was also awarded a $3 million grant to help a diverse group of stakeholders develop consensus -based best practices, tools and guidance around siting and permitting.
- Inconsistent policies across the nation pose significant siting and permitting challenges for energy project developers in many states. Such challenges add time, cost, and complexity to the energy project development process, leading to project delays, raising electricity costs, and reducing community benefits. These DOE-funded efforts seek to improve outcomes for all energy project stakeholders.
- SI2’s ongoing work provides policymakers and industry leaders with actionable insights to accelerate deployment, reduce costs, and strengthen our nation’s energy security.
