Technical Assistance
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Weatherization and Intergovernmental Program (WIP) provides technical assistance to states, local governments, community action agencies, utilities, Indian tribes, and U.S. territories for their energy programs. Various training and technical assistance resources are available through the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), State Energy Program (SEP), Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) Program, and Tribal Energy Program (TEP).
States, U.S. territories, local governments, Indian tribes, and community action agencies can obtain technical assistance from DOE.
Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP)
The Weatherization Assistance Program Technical Assistance Center (WAPTAC) Web site contains a virtual library of all rules, regulations, policies and procedures required by the Weatherization Assistance Program. The site is a central repository for presentation materials, photos and videos of work in progress, site demonstrations, news articles, and other documentation to support WAP operations. WAPTAC.org serves as the institutional memory necessary for success during the unprecedented Recovery Act expansion of the Weatherization Assistance Program.
In addition, through the 2009 Recovery Act, the Obama Administration made an unprecedented commitment to weatherizing and retrofitting our nation's residential building stock. Of the $5 billion made available to WAP through the Recovery Act, 20%—approximately $1 billion—is for training and technical assistance directed at the state and local levels (approximately $854 million) and at the national level by DOE (approximately $141 million). DOE has developed a plan for national weatherization training and technical assistance during the Recovery Act period that support the following objectives:
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Bolster weatherization programs implemented at the state and local levels, complement and expand ongoing training activities, communicate and build on recognized best practices to support activity across the weatherization network, address critical barriers, and fill training gaps where needed.
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Support the administration's energy efficiency retrofit goals by leveraging the vast expertise in the weatherization network to help grow the training infrastructure needed to support a national residential energy efficiency retrofit market.
National Weatherization Training and Technical Assistance Plan
State Energy Program (SEP) and EECBG Program
The SEP and EECBG Technical Assistance Program provides state, local, and tribal officials the tools, resources and assistance needed to implement successful and sustainable clean energy programs. This effort is critical to improving the performance and sustainability of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, programs, and policies. In order to increase the return on investment in these efforts, assistance is focused on highly-leveraged initiatives, policy and program design, and capacity building.
State, local, and tribal communities can access project resources and request direct technical assistance through an online portal, the Solution Center. This site hosts a wide range of best practices, project resources, and webinars, as well as a project map and events calendar.
State, local, and tribal officials can also use this site to submit a request to receive direct technical assistance, or call 1-877-EERE-TAP (1-877-337-3827) to speak with a customer service representative, who can assist them in submitting a request and answer questions regarding the resources available. Requests are evaluated to determine the level and type of assistance the Technical Assistance Program will provide, and a network of technical experts responds these requests. Technical assistance providers include representatives from the DOE National Laboratories—National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado; Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge, Tennessee; and Lawrence-Berkeley National Laboratory in Berkeley, California. Lab staff can provide short-term, unbiased expertise in renewable energy and energy efficiency policy, as well as cross-cutting topic areas, such as strategic energy planning and renewable portfolio standards. Teams of specialists are also available in the fields of financing, performance contracting, program design and implementation, and state and local capacity building. In addition to providing one-on-one technical assistance, providers are available to work with states, cities, counties, and tribes to facilitate peer-to-peer matching, workshops, and trainings.
Tribal Energy Program (TEP)
Technical assistance through TEP is intended to provide federally recognized Indian tribes, bands, nations or other organized groups and communities—including Alaska Native villages or regional and village corporations—with assistance on their renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.
The application process is quick and easy: tribes can call 1-877-EERE-TAP (1-877-337-3827) to speak with a customer service representative, who can assist them in submitting a request. The program will then determine whether your request fits within the program's scope and can be met with available resources. If approved, your request will be forwarded to the appropriate DOE national laboratory representative who will contact you before beginning work. Assistance will be provided by staff at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory or Sandia National Laboratories.
The value of technical assistance is typically limited to 40 hours and may include, but is not limited to, renewable energy technology information, renewable resource information, energy efficiency techniques, project support, system performance modeling, policy information, design review, special studies, strategic energy planning, and training.
