WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is now accepting applications for competitive funding to upskill the workforce with energy efficiency certifications. Authorized by President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Energy Auditor Training program (EAT) will provide up to $40 million in grants for states to train individuals to conduct energy audits or surveys of commercial and residential buildings. To increase the qualified green building workforce across the country, and to support the implementation of national energy efficiency improvements sparked by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, EAT will ensure that building performance professionals, energy auditors, and other energy efficiency workers will be ready for our country’s upgrade to a more sustainable future.
“It is vital that we build a strong clean energy workforce with high quality jobs to ensure we can deploy investments in communities across the country,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “By equipping America’s workers with additional skills, today’s funding will expand our clean energy workforce by allowing workers from broad industries to conduct energy audits, in a safe and reliable way, empowering them future forward.”
EAT is part of a concerted effort at DOE to invest in a clean energy workforce that will implement the $8.8 billion Home Energy Rebate Programs and other energy efficiency programs that will help homeowners, state and local governments, and businesses save money and fight climate change. Similar programs such as the State-Based Home Energy Efficiency Contractor Training Grants, Building Training and Assessment Centers, and the Career Skills Training Program decarbonize buildings through energy efficiency and electrification projects.
The Funding Opportunity Announcement provides application instructions for State Energy Offices to receive funding to support training programs. Applicants need to submit a Community Benefits Plan along with their application, detailing how their proposal will support local community and labor; invest in the workforce; advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility; and aid economic and environmental justice initiatives. Applicants need to submit concept papers by March 28, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET and applications are due June 28, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Visit the Energy Auditor Training program webpage for more information, sign up for updates, and register for an informational webinar scheduled for January 17, 2024.
DOE’s Office of State and Community Energy Programs is overseeing the administration of these programs while ensuring that institutions of higher education, industry leaders, and states are prepared to deliver the energy efficiency projects needed to decarbonize buildings. This program aligns with President Biden’s Justice40 Initiative, ensuring that 40 percent of the overall benefits of clean energy investments make a difference in communities that are energy burdened and historically underserved.
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