Clean energy project developers: Provide input to unlock federal funds from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Programs Office

The North Carolina Department of Commerce, in partnership with the North Carolina Clean Energy Fund (NCCEF), is requesting input from clean energy project developers who are seeking financing for proposed projects which reduce carbon emissions, increase the resilience of North Carolina communities, and/or increase the resilience of the state’s energy system.

The Department has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to gather this input. The purpose of the RFI is to gather information on large-scale ($100M+) clean energy projects which may qualify for significant federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO).

The Department will use this input to inform the potential creation of a State Energy Financing Institution, or SEFI. A SEFI is an entity established by a state, Indian Tribal entity, or Alaska Native corporation to provide financing support or credit enhancements to eligible clean energy projects. Read more about SEFIs here.

The federal Loan Programs Office offers debt financing for large-scale (typically $100 million+) energy-related projects. Through the Title 17 Clean Energy Financing Program SEFI project category, the LPO can augment states’ investments in clean energy projects to increase scale, scope and impact.

RFI responses will be reviewed and evaluated on an ongoing basis.   The Department will determine the appropriate time for issuing a Request for Proposals based on the information received during this open RFI.

Read the full RFI here.

Submit your RFI response here.

Questions? Contact: SEFIquestions@commerce.nc.gov

Responding to this RFI is not a formal application for state resources. This solicitation is a market discovery tool and does not commit NCDOC, LPO, or DOE to make an award. All responses, including attachments and other supporting materials, are part of the public record. Respondents should not submit any information considered confidential.

• Request for Information 
• Submit Response to RFI 
• SEFI Fact Sheet
• State Energy Financing Institutions (SEFI)-Supported Projects

Who should respond:

The RFI is intended for anyone planning to invest in clean energy and looking for attractive financing options, or with ideas for advancing North Carolina in deploying clean energy and expanding the clean energy economy at scale. Eligible entities include, but are not limited to:

• Businesses of all sizes
• Economic development organizations
• Units of local government
• Community and non-profit organizations
• Philanthropic organizations
• Financial institutions, including Community Development Financial Institutions
• Owners and developers of energy infrastructure
• Public institutions, including but not limited to K-12 schools, universities, and colleges

Project Types:

Commerce’s target project categories include:

• Renewable energy systems such as rooftop solar
• Energy storage technologies, such as battery storage paired with or independent from solar installations
• Efficient end-use energy technologies
• Industrial decarbonization technologies

Examples of the types of projects in which the Department is interested include:

• Deep building retrofits, prioritizing energy efficiency upgrades, weatherization, and fuel switching to renewable and/or electric sources, for existing building stock – encompassing residential, commercial, medical, educational, and other public and private community-serving facilities
• Distributed clean energy resources installation, such as rooftop solar and battery storage
• Energy efficient new building construction technologies
• Microgrids for climate resiliency
• Transportation fleet conversions

The Department welcomes interest from project developers that will prioritize environmental and social equity and deliver project benefits to low- and moderate-income households.