Clean Energy to Communities Program
The Clean Energy to Communities (C2C) program provides communities with expertise and tools to achieve their clean energy goals. C2C is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and managed by NREL.
C2C connects local governments, tribes, electric utilities, and community-based organizations with national laboratory experts and customized, cutting-edge analysis to achieve clean energy systems that are reflective of local and regional priorities. By bringing together innovative technology, state-of-the-art modeling, and unique abilities to test clean energy plans before installing them in the field, C2C can help close the gap between clean energy ambitions and real-world deployment. Communities lie at the heart of C2C, recognizing that when it comes to clean energy, each community has different institutional contexts, resources, challenges, opportunities, and ambitions. C2C fosters community-led innovation with tailored support, from goal-setting and project development to technology deployment.
Program Offerings
C2C offers three types of support to communities: in-depth partnerships, peer-learning cohorts, and expert match.
| In-Depth Partnerships | Peer-Learning Cohorts | Expert Match | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time Commitment | Long (3-year partnership) | Medium (periodically, over approximately 6 months) | Short (40–60 total hours) |
| Eligibility | Community teams composed of local governments, community-based organizations, and utilities |
Varies by cohort. Can include: Tribal, city, town, and county governments; metropolitan and regional planning organizations Electric utilities Community-based organizations |
City, town, county, and tribal governments; metropolitan and regional planning organizations; community-based organizations; nongovernmental organizations; utilities; universities |
| Who Is It For? | Communities interested in sustained support through project design and deployment | Communities with interests in specific clean energy themes or topics | Communities exploring a local energy challenge but that may lack staff capacity to conduct analysis |
| Interaction Type | Tailored to individual community | Peer-learning groups and expert guidance | Tailored to individual community |
| Project Type | Any renewable energy, energy efficiency, or transportation electrification planning project | Specific; evolving topics | Any projects relating to renewable energy, energy efficiency, or transportation electrification |
| Expected Number of Communities Supported | 4–5* | ~100* | ~200* |
*Number of communities is subject to Congressional appropriations.
Sign Up for Updates
To receive email updates about the C2C program, complete and submit the sign-up form.
Contact
If you have questions about the C2C program, please email C2C@nrel.gov.