330-250-0090 Project Development Grant: Application (1) A federally recognized Oregon Indian tribe, public body or consumer-owned utility may apply for a grant for developing a community renewable energy project by submitting a complete grant application. The application must meet requirements provided by applicable statutes, these rules and the applicable opportunity announcement. (a) An applicant may partner with a federally recognized Oregon Indian tribe, public body, nonprofit entity, private business with a business site in this state or owner of rental property in this state, but a grant for an approved application will only be awarded and released to an applicant that is a federally recognized Oregon Indian tribe, public body or consumer-owned utility. (b) An application must be drafted in consultation with electric utilities that have customers in the communities covered by a community renewable energy project that is in the application and regional stakeholders for the purpose of ensuring feasibility. (c) An applicant must apply for a grant before starting installation or construction of a renewable energy system included in the application. (2) The application must be in the form specified in the opportunity announcement and these rules. An applicant must submit a complete application during the opportunity period. For the purposes of this rule, the department considers an application “submitted” when the department receives the application. The department will not process applications received outside of an opportunity period. (3) The application must include the following information: (a) Identification of applicant and partners: (A) The name of the applicant. (B) The name, address, email address and telephone number of the responsible party for the applicant. (C) The names of any partners to the application, which may include a federally recognized Oregon Indian tribe, public body, nonprofit entity, private business with a business site in this state or owner of rental property in this state. (D) For any partner that is a private business, documentation that the partner owns a business site(s) that is located in this state. (E) For any partner that is an owner of rental property, documentation that the partner owns rental property(ies) that is located in this state. (b) Evidence of consultation with the following entities: (A) Written authorization from the applicant’s governing body allowing submission of the application. (B) Confirmation that the applicant consulted with the electric utility or utilities, as applicable. Applicants are encouraged to include information from the electric utility(-ies) that may assist the department in evaluating the feasibility of the proposed project, including a high-level assessment of the impacts of the proposed project on existing utility infrastructure and the estimated costs for interconnection of the proposed project. Confirmation may include: (i) A letter from the electric utility(-ies) serving the communities covered by a community renewable energy project; or (ii) other evidence that the applicant has consulted the electric utility(-ies). (C) For any partner that is a public body, written authorization from the partner’s governing body allowing submission of the application. (c) A description of the applicant’s or partner's consultation with regional stakeholders, community groups and any additional community engagement process as part of developing the project development grant application. (d) The following information about any renewable energy systems that are part of the proposed community renewable energy project: (A) A detailed description of the project’s systems and the systems’ operation, including major system components, such as renewable energy generation, energy storage, electric vehicle charging systems, and microgrid enabling technologies. If the community renewable energy project will add capacity to or be paired with an existing renewable energy system, for example pairing energy storage and/or microgrid enabling technologies with an existing solar photovoltaic array, the applicant must include a description of the existing renewable energy system. (B) If the project is for generating renewable energy: (i) Nameplate capacity; (ii) The projected amount of net energy the system will generate, in kWh per year; and (iii) A resource assessment demonstrating adequate resource supply for the proposed system operations. The resource assessment must describe the type of resource available, explain how the applicant evaluated the resource and describe how the system will access the resource. (C) If the project is for energy storage: (i) Technical specifications including manufacturer’s information for the selected technology and all major system equipment including but not limited to batteries, inverters and controls; (ii) Nameplate power capacity in Watts; (iii) Nameplate energy capacity in kWh; (iv) Proposed operational use cases for the storage system including emergency backup power, providing grid services, demand reduction, arbitrage or any other planned uses. (D) The proposed location of the project and an assessment of the suitability of the site; (E) Technical specifications including manufacturer’s information for the selected technology and all major system equipment; (F) A description of the operation of the system, including information that demonstrates the system will operate for at least five years; (G) A statement of compliance with applicable state and local regulations and that the applicant will notify the appropriate agencies and obtain required licenses and permits; and (H) If applicable, a detailed description of how the community renewable energy project will support the energy resilience of structures or facilities essential to the public welfare. (e) The following information relating to the grant amount: (A) The anticipated total project cost, which must be documented by providing a list of itemized costs, which the applicant shall designate as either eligible or non-eligible for the grant. The department shall review project costs for eligibility. (B) The amount of local, state, or federal incentives, whether anticipated or received, directly related to the renewable energy system(s). (C) The amount of grant requested by the applicant. (f) The following information relating to project planning: (A) A description of the applicant’s installation or construction financing plan. (B) A project management plan that contains the following elements: (i) A detailed project schedule with major milestones during development, construction and operation, including the target construction start date and target operational date of the system. (ii) A description of how the applicant will manage installation and construction, verification of system construction and start-up, and operations and maintenance requirements. If the applicant has developed a commissioning plan, the application must describe the plan. (g) A detailed description or other documentation of the extent to which the community renewable energy project will be located in and will serve one or more qualifying communities. (h) Information on the number and types of jobs directly connected to the awarding of the grant that will be: (A) Created by the project; and (B) Sustained throughout construction, installation and operation of the project. (i) A description of how the community renewable energy project will integrate with broader community energy and environmental goals. (j) Additional information as needed to demonstrate that the community renewable energy project(s) meets the requirements under Oregon Laws 2021, chapter 508, section 30(4)(b), which is reproduced in section (4) of this rule; and (k) Any other information the director considers necessary to determine whether the project complies with these rules and Oregon Laws 2021, chapter 508, sections 29 to 32. (4) In order to be considered for a project development grant, the applicant must demonstrate in the application, as required under Oregon Laws 2021, chapter 508, section 30(4)(b), that the project(s) included in the application: (a) Is located in this state but outside a city with a population of 500,000 or more; (b) Will begin construction within 12 months of execution of the performance agreement and be completed within 36 months of execution of the performance agreement or a reasonable time frame if good cause to extend the deadline is demonstrated; (c) Results in increased community energy resilience, local jobs, economic development or direct energy cost savings to families and small businesses; (d) Complies with applicable state and local laws and regulations and has the required licenses and permits; (e) Does not exceed 20 megawatts of nameplate capacity, if the project is for generating renewable energy; and (f) Will operate for at least five years. (5) In approving applications and awarding grant moneys, the department is directed under Oregon Laws 2021, chapter 508, section 30(10) to prioritize applications that meet the following criteria when awarding grant funds. Applicants are encouraged to submit documentation describing the extent to which the proposal in the application: (a) Includes community energy resilience projects. (b) Demonstrates significant prior investments in energy efficiency measures at the project location or will result in aggregate improvements to demand response capabilities. (c) Is for projects located in qualifying communities across the state. (d) When applicable, is for projects constructed in part or in whole by disadvantaged business enterprises, emerging small businesses or businesses that are owned by minorities, women or disabled veterans. (e) Includes inclusive hiring and promotion policies for workers working on the projects. (f) Incorporates equity metrics in OAR 330-250-0160 for evaluating the involvement of and leadership by people of low income, Black, Indigenous or People of Color, members of tribal communities, people with disabilities, youth, people from rural communities and people from otherwise disadvantaged communities in the siting, planning, designing or evaluating of the proposed community renewable energy projects. (g) Helps the applicant achieve goals included in the applicant’s natural hazard mitigation plans as approved by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 469.040 & Oregon Laws 2021, chapter 508 (House Bill 2021) Statutes/Other Implemented: Oregon Laws 2021, chapter 508 (House Bill 2021) History: DOE 6-2024, amend filed 08/23/2024, effective 09/16/2024 DOE 1-2022, adopt filed 02/28/2022, effective 02/28/2022