HomeMy WebLinkAboutDE-FOA-0002740 BIL - AEA Transforming Alaskas Rural Microgrids Application – DOE_Response AEA Strengths and Weaknesses- Nov 2023
DE-FOA-0002740 BIL – Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP)
SUMMARY of STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
Topic Area: 3
Applicant: Alaska Energy Authority
Grants.Gov ID #: GRANT13888586
Project Title: Transforming Alaska's Rural Micrgrids
Criterion # 1: Impact and Market Viability
Strengths
The proposed project adequately demonstrates new financial arrangements to deploy
technology solutions that increase the flexibility, efficiency, reliability, and resilience of
the electric power system by creating a competitive funding program within the state
that supports the development of microgrids as a community resource.
The application supports State, local, Tribal, regional resilience, decarbonization, or
other energy strategies and plans for reliability that also and reduces the reliance on
fossil fuels.
Weaknesses
The application fails to adequately address the innovation in the project, and the
project implementation is still being developed as a program, leaving few details to
evaluate whether the program will fully support the Topic Area 3 goals and objectives.
Criterion # 2: Project Plan and Project Financial Feasibility
Strengths
None
Weaknesses
The application has not demonstrated a clear work plan and SOPO.
The application has not adequately demonstrated an approach and critical path to
meet project goals. The competitive funding program is not yet developed, including
key criteria such as technology standards, selection methods, and engineering and
construction activity and oversight.
Criterion # 3: Management Team and Project Partners
Strengths
The application adequately demonstrates the identified team as having the
credentials and experience to perform the work proposed as evidenced by the
biographies of the various members of the project team. The application provides
details of other federal projects that were supported by the individual(s).
Weaknesses
None
Criterion # 4: Community Benefits Plan
Strengths
The application adequately proposed relevant, quantifiable, measurable benefits for
targeted communities, including energy cost savings, energy ownership, jobs, access
to clean energy technologies, environmental improvement, energy resilience, and
more reliable electric service. The application contains letters of commitment from the
Alaska Municipal League, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Kawerak tribal
consortium and the consortium representing 37 Alaska federally recognized tribes.
The applicant adequately demonstrated a clear plan to engage with organized labor
for the proposed project and demonstrated a history of collaborating with unions.
Weaknesses
The application does not adequately include a sufficient community and workforce
engagement plan.