Green rush | US spends $450m to unearth huge renewable energy bonanza on mining lands
Biden administration sees projects as leading to broad replication nationwide, helping unlock almost 90GW of clean energy generation potential
The US Department of Energy (DoE) is making up to $450m available to advance clean energy demonstration projects including biomass, geothermal, solar, and wind on current and former mine lands nationwide.
DoE’s Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations, which manages the programme, will provide up to 50% of the cost, ranging from $10m to $150m, for each project. The agency is seeking “well designed, financially viable projects that can be deployed quickly.”
These projects include those that demonstrate replicable pathways that resolve key barriers to expanded clean energy development on mine land and preservation of natural and agricultural resources through repurposing of such land.
They must also show benefits of integrating clean energy facilities on mine land to mine operations, local energy infrastructure, and to the mining communities themselves.
“Deploying clean energy projects on America’s mine lands will unlock new opportunities for energy communities that have helped power our nation for generations, especially those in rural areas that have been the most affected by the energy transition,” said secretary of energy Jennifer Granholm.
Repurposing this land for clean energy projects could generate 89.5GW of electricity, enough to power almost 30 million homes, according to EPA.
“Developing clean energy projects on mine land provides an attractive economic alternative to using undisturbed natural and agricultural land,” said DoE.
Mine land is often located near critical infrastructure that makes it suitable for clean energy development, including electric substations, transmission lines, and access roads or railroad lines.
Projects selected through this funding opportunity will help to create high-quality and long-term jobs, spur economic development, and provide other direct benefits to the local community.
DoE intends to award projects that direct benefits to economically distressed areas, including former coal and manufacturing communities. In addition, DOE aims to prioritize projects in which community members are partners and/or equity co-owners.
Concept papers are due by 11 May 2023, and full applications are due by 31 August, 2023.
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