Opportunity Information: Apply for DE FOA 0003304
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through its Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) and specifically the Workforce and Equitable Access (WEA) team, issued this Request for Information (RFI) to gather practical feedback on what tools, resources, and forms of national-level support are needed to make solar plus storage projects work well for low-income and disadvantaged communities (often shortened as LIDAC). Rather than offering grant funding directly, this notice is a structured way for DOE to hear from the public about real-world barriers and proven solutions so that DOE can shape or expand its programs, technical assistance, guidance, and coordination efforts in a way that improves outcomes on the ground.
A core driver behind the RFI is the scale of new federal investment enabled by the Inflation Reduction Act, which set aside major funding intended to accelerate solar adoption while ensuring that the benefits flow to communities that have historically faced higher energy burdens and fewer clean energy opportunities. DOE is essentially signaling that money alone is not enough: successful deployment of distributed solar and storage in LIDAC settings often depends on program design, community trust, consumer protections, workforce readiness, financing structures, permitting and interconnection processes, and long-term operations and maintenance. The RFI is looking for insight into what needs to be in place at a national level so that state and local programs, developers, utilities, community-based organizations, and housing providers can translate historic funding into reliable projects and measurable, equitable benefits.
The opportunity is focused on distributed solar that is located in, or primarily serves, low-income and disadvantaged communities. That includes low-income residential solar paired with batteries, community solar models that allow households to subscribe without needing a suitable rooftop, and other distributed solar applications where the host site or beneficiaries are within LIDAC populations. By explicitly calling out solar plus storage, DOE is emphasizing resilience and reliability benefits in addition to bill savings, such as keeping critical loads powered during outages, supporting community facilities, and improving local energy security. The emphasis on "equitable and successful delivery of benefits" suggests DOE is interested in outcomes like meaningful household savings, fair subscription terms for community solar, durable consumer value over the life of the system, and program structures that reduce the risk of predatory practices or uneven benefit distribution.
From an administrative standpoint, this is a discretionary DOE notice categorized under the energy activity area, with CFDA number 81.087, and it is managed through DOE's Golden Field Office. Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which typically means DOE welcomes input broadly from stakeholders such as state and local governments, tribal entities, utilities, community-based organizations, solar and storage developers, financiers, installers, workforce organizations, researchers, and members of the public with relevant experience. The funding instrument type is listed as "Other" and the expected awards are zero, reinforcing that this is not a typical grant competition but an information-gathering step that can influence future technical assistance, program planning, and potentially future funding opportunities.
Key logistics in the source information include the funding opportunity number (DE FOA 0003304), a creation date of January 23, 2024, and an original closing date of February 23, 2024. The award ceiling is shown as 1, but because this is an RFI with no expected awards, that figure is best read as an internal system artifact rather than an indication of a grant amount. In practical terms, the main action for interested parties is to submit comments and recommendations by the deadline, with the aim of shaping how DOE supports equitable solar plus storage deployment nationwide.
Overall, the RFI is DOE's attempt to reduce the gap between ambitious funding goals and what it actually takes to deliver well-functioning, community-aligned solar plus storage projects at scale in underserved areas. The agency is asking stakeholders to help define what coordinated national support should look like, so that distributed solar investments achieve consistent, high-quality results: lower energy burdens, improved resilience, fair access, and durable community benefits in low-income and disadvantaged communities.Apply for DE FOA 0003304
- The Golden Field Office in the energy sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Request for Information: Supporting Successful Solar Plus Storage Deployment Serving Low-Income and Disadvantaged Communities" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 81.087.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2024-01-23.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-02-23. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1.00 in funding.
- Eligible applicants include: Unrestricted.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is this DOE opportunity?
This is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) through the Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO), specifically the Workforce and Equitable Access (WEA) team. The purpose is to gather practical feedback on what national-level tools, resources, and support are needed to help solar plus storage projects succeed in low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDAC).
Is this a grant or funding opportunity?
No. This notice is not offering grant funding. It is an information-gathering process intended to collect public input that can shape DOE programs, technical assistance, guidance, and coordination efforts. The listing indicates expected awards are zero.
Why is DOE issuing this RFI now?
A major driver is the scale of new federal investment enabled by the Inflation Reduction Act, which set aside significant funding to accelerate solar adoption while ensuring benefits reach communities with historically higher energy burdens and fewer clean energy opportunities. DOE is seeking input because funding alone may not be sufficient without strong program design and real-world implementation support.
What topics is DOE asking for feedback on?
DOE is seeking insight into what needs to be in place nationally so state and local programs and market participants can deliver reliable, equitable solar plus storage projects. The RFI highlights areas such as program design, community trust, consumer protections, workforce readiness, financing structures, permitting and interconnection processes, and long-term operations and maintenance.
What does "solar plus storage" mean in this context?
It refers to distributed solar paired with energy storage (typically batteries). DOE is emphasizing not only bill savings but also resilience and reliability benefits, such as keeping critical loads powered during outages and supporting community facilities.
What kinds of projects are in scope?
The focus is on distributed solar located in, or primarily serving, low-income and disadvantaged communities. Examples mentioned include low-income residential solar paired with batteries and community solar models that allow households to subscribe without having a suitable rooftop, along with other distributed solar applications serving LIDAC populations.
What does DOE mean by low-income and disadvantaged communities (LIDAC)?
In this notice, LIDAC is used as a shorthand for communities that have historically faced higher energy burdens and fewer clean energy opportunities. The RFI is centered on improving solar plus storage outcomes for these communities.
What outcomes does DOE appear to care about?
The RFI emphasizes "equitable and successful delivery of benefits." That suggests DOE is interested in outcomes such as meaningful household savings, fair subscription terms for community solar, durable consumer value over the life of the system, improved resilience, and program structures that reduce the risk of predatory practices or uneven benefit distribution.
Who can respond to the RFI?
Eligibility is listed as unrestricted, which typically indicates DOE welcomes input broadly. Stakeholders may include state and local governments, tribal entities, utilities, community-based organizations, housing providers, solar and storage developers, financiers, installers, workforce organizations, researchers, and members of the public with relevant experience.
Which DOE office is managing this notice?
It is managed through DOE's Golden Field Office, under SETO (Solar Energy Technologies Office), with the WEA (Workforce and Equitable Access) team as the issuing group.
What is the main purpose of responding?
The main action is to submit comments and recommendations to DOE so the agency can shape or expand national-level programs, technical assistance, guidance, and coordination that improve real-world deployment of distributed solar plus storage in LIDAC settings.
How could responses be used by DOE?
Based on the notice description, responses may influence how DOE designs or adjusts technical assistance, guidance, and coordination efforts. The RFI may also inform future program planning and potentially future funding opportunities, but this RFI itself is not a grant competition.
What is the funding opportunity number?
The funding opportunity number is DE FOA 0003304.
What is the CFDA number and activity area?
The CFDA number listed is 81.087, and the activity area is categorized under energy.
What is the instrument type?
The funding instrument type is listed as "Other," which aligns with the fact that this is an RFI rather than a typical grant or cooperative agreement competition.
Does the listing show any award amount or award ceiling?
The listing shows an award ceiling of 1, but the notice also states expected awards are zero and clarifies that this is not a typical grant competition. In practice, the key point is that DOE is not offering direct funding through this RFI.
What are the key dates for this notice?
The creation date is January 23, 2024. The original closing date is February 23, 2024.
What is the deadline to submit input?
The original closing date provided is February 23, 2024, which indicates the deadline to submit comments and recommendations under this RFI.
What is DOE trying to solve with this RFI?
DOE is trying to reduce the gap between ambitious federal funding goals and what it takes to deliver well-functioning, community-aligned solar plus storage projects at scale in underserved areas. The RFI seeks practical feedback on real-world barriers and proven solutions so national support can help translate funding into reliable projects and measurable, equitable benefits.
What kinds of barriers is DOE concerned about?
Based on the notice, DOE is concerned about barriers that can prevent successful deployment even when funding exists. These include program design challenges, lack of community trust, insufficient consumer protections, workforce constraints, financing obstacles, permitting and interconnection friction, and gaps in long-term operations and maintenance planning.
Why is distributed solar emphasized?
The RFI focuses on distributed solar because it can be deployed at the community or customer level and directly serve households and facilities in LIDAC areas, including through community solar subscription models for people who cannot install rooftop systems.
Why is resilience highlighted as a benefit?
By explicitly calling out solar plus storage, DOE is highlighting benefits beyond bill savings, including resilience and reliability, such as backup power for critical loads during outages and improved local energy security for households and community facilities.
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