Priya PatelTLDR:
– NREL has issued a request for proposals (RFP) under the Competitiveness Improvement Project (CIP) to support commercialization of small and medium wind turbine technology.
– The focus is on commercialization plans that benefit rural small businesses and farmers in support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and DOE’s new RAISE Initiative.
The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) under the Competitiveness Improvement Project (CIP) to support the commercialization and market expansion of small and medium wind turbine technology. The focus for 2024 is on commercialization plans and business models that support cost savings and revenue generation for rural small businesses and farmers in support of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and DOE’s new Rural and Agricultural Income & Savings from Renewable Energy (RAISE) Initiative. Proposals will be accepted through 2 p.m. MT on March 27, 2024. The CIP awards cost-shared subcontracts and national laboratory technical support to U.S. component suppliers and manufacturers of small- and medium-sized wind turbines. It specifically focuses on advancing small and medium wind energy systems to commercialization, which can be challenging for small businesses.
The 2024 CIP RFP invites proposals that focus on six topic areas, including prototype installation and testing, small turbine certification, inverter listing, manufacturing process innovation, and product commercialization. Since the program began in 2012, NREL has awarded 64 subcontracts to 26 companies, totaling $15.4 million of DOE funding and leveraging $7.9 million in additional private-sector investment. The CIP program has been instrumental in advancing wind energy as a low-cost distributed generation technology option and supporting new product innovation. Applicants are required to complete a diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) assessment as part of the proposal evaluation process. Work funded under this effort is expected to take place in the United States and/or U.S. territories unless otherwise justified.
