Technical Assistance

NREL provides technical assistance related to energy use, planning, and future scenarios for U.S. states, local jurisdictions, communities, utilities, and Tribes.

Browse U.S. federal programs and initiatives through which NREL provides technical assistance. When technical assistance is unavailable through federally supported programs, NREL offers customized technical support services.

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Program/Initiative	Description	Eligible Stakeholders	Project Stage(s)	metadata
Clean Cities and Communities (U.S. Department of Energy)	Helps fleets, stakeholders, original equipment manufacturers, and fuel providers deploy alternative fuels and advanced vehicles technologies	Local jurisdictions, Tribes	Operations and maintenance,	DOE
Energy to Communities	Provides expertise and tools to achieve clean energy goals through three distinct offerings: Expert Match, In-Depth Partnerships, and Peer-Learning Cohorts	Academic institutions, Community-based organizations, Electric utilities, Local jurisdictions, Tribes	Energy potential and options, Planning, Plan refinement, Technology deployment	E2C, DOE
Energy to Communities: Expert Match	Provides tailored, short-term (40-60 hours) support for a wide variety of eligible applicants to achieve local clean energy goals	Academic institutions, Community-based organizations, Electric utilities, Local jurisdictions, Tribes	Energy potential and options, Planning, Plan refinement, Technology deployment	E2C, DOE
Energy to Communities: In-Depth Partnerships	Offers long-term (3-year) commitment of community teams composed of local governments, community-based organizations, and utilities to achieve clean energy goals	Community-based organizations, Electric utilities, Local jurisdictions	Energy potential and options, Operations and maintenance, Planning, Plan refinement	E2C, DOE
Energy to Communities: Peer-Learning Cohorts	Facilitates 6-month collaborative cohorts to share and learn about specific clean energy themes	Community-based organizations, Electric utilities, Local jurisdictions, Tribes	Energy potential and options, Plan refinement, Technology deployment	E2C, DOE
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program (U.S. Department of Energy)	Offers short-term assistance (up to 20 hours) per formula funding grantee to develop an energy efficiency and conservation strategy	Local jurisdictions, States, Tribes	Energy potential and options, Planning	DOE
Community Microgrid Assistance Partnership	Assistance and funding for microgrid planning, development, or improvements in remote underserved and/or Indigenous communities	Community-based organizations, Electric utilities, Industry, Local jurisdictions, Not-for-profit organizations, Tribes	Energy potential and options, Operations and maintenance, Planning, Plan refinement, Technology deployment	DOE
Energy Improvements in Rural or Remote Areas Program	Offers competitive prizes and technical support to improve energy systems in rural or remote areas	Community-based organizations, Local jurisdictions, Not-for-profit organizations, Tribes	Planning	ERA, DOE
Energy Technology Innovation Partnership Project	Strengthens energy resilience in island and remote communities with support of regional partners	Academic institutions, Community-based organizations, Electric utilities, Industry, Local jurisdictions, Not-for-profit organizations, Tribes	Energy potential and options	ETIPP, DOE
Environmental Protection Agency Solar For All	Supports 60 grant recipients to create new or expand existing low-income solar programs	Not-for-profit organizations, Tribes, States, Local jurisdictions	Energy potential and options, Operations and maintenance, Planning, Plan refinement	EPA, DOE
Interconnection Innovation e-Xchange (U.S. Department of Energy)	Enables a simpler, faster, and fairer interconnection of clean energy resources all while enhancing the reliability, resiliency, and security of our electric grid	Electric utilities, Local jurisdictions, States	Energy potential and options, Operations and maintenance, Planning, Plan refinement	I2x, DOE
Joint Office for Energy and Transportation Technical Assistance	Facilitates the adoption of electrified transportation by providing comprehensive technical assistance and resources	Community-based organizations, Local jurisdictions, States, Tribes	Planning, Technology deployment	DOE, DOT
National Community Solar Partnership (U.S. Department of Energy)	Supports coalition of stakeholders working to expand access to affordable community solar	Community-based organizations, Local jurisdictions, Not-for-profit organizations, States, Tribes	Technology deployment	NCSP, DOE
Renewable Energy Siting Through Technical Engagement and Planning (U.S. Department of Energy)	Expands the decision-making capacity and expertise of state and local governments around large-scale renewable energy planning, siting, and permitting	Local jurisdictions, States	Energy potential and options, Planning	DOE, RSTEP
Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs: Technical Assistance (U.S. Department of Energy)	Advances clean energy projects with federally recognized American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native communities	Tribes	Energy potential and options, Planning, Plan refinement	DOE
Tribal Nation Offshore Wind Transmission (U.S. Department of Energy)	Provides technical assistance, educational resources, expert match, and event participation assistance for planning and development of offshore wind transmission	Tribes	Energy potential and options, Operations and maintenance, Planning, Plan refinement, Technology deployment	DOE
Joint Office of Energy and Transportation: Tribal Nation Technical Assistance and Resources	Facilitates the adoption of electrified transportation by providing comprehensive technical assistance and resources	Tribes	Energy potential and options, Planning	DOE, DOT
Waste-to-Energy Technical Assistance	Addresses knowledge gaps, challenges, decision making considerations, planning, and project implementation strategies related to organic waste	Local jurisdictions, Tribes	Energy potential and options, Planning, Plan refinement, Technology deployment	WTE, DOE
Solar Energy Innovation Network	Targets new and unresolved barriers to solar adoption, especially in underserved communities. Supports teams of stakeholders as they develop transformative solutions for solar adoption	Academic institutions, Community-based organizations, Electric utilities, Industry, Local jurisdictions, Not-for-profit organizations, Tribes	Energy potential and options, Planning	SEIN, DOE
Standard Work Specifications	Provides guidance to ensure work performed during home energy upgrades is effective, durable, and safe	Industry, Not-for-profit organizations, States	Operations and maintenance, Technology deployment	SWS, weatherization
State Technical Assistance Program (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)	Offers rapid turn-around technical support from subject matter experts at NREL and other national laboratories	Utilities, States	Energy potential and options, Operations and maintenance	Lawrence
Rural Energy for America Program	Brings renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvement grants to agricultural producers and rural small business owners	Agriculture producers, Rural small business owners	Operations and maintenance, Technology deployment	NREL
Utility and Grid Operator Technical Assistance	Provides utilities and grid operators with subject matter expertise and access to national lab facilities to support technical challenges relating to topics including load forecasting, operational architecture, technology configuration, integrated distribution planning, and transmission planning	Utility and grid operators including municipal utilities, cooperative utilities, investor-owned utilities, regional transmission organizations, independent system operators	Energy potential and options, Planning, Plan refinement, Technology deployment, Operations and maintenance	DOE