Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Program (ETIPP)

The Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Program (ETIPP) is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Energy, four National Labs led by the National Renewable Energy Lab, and regional partner organizations including SSDN. The program provides technical assistance and cash support to help island, coastal, and remote communities make their energy systems more resilient, equitable, and affordable. After successful projects with 32 communities in Alaska, Hawai’i, Puerto Rico, the Pacific Northwest, and the Northeast, the program was expanded to include the rest of the U.S. in 2024. SSDN has been selected as the Regional Partner for the Gulf Coast, and will be providing support to eligible communities from Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. Additional support to communities in Louisiana will come from STEM NOLA, and support to coastal communities on the South Atlantic Seaboard will be delivered by Groundswell.

The technical assistance focuses on applying renewable and low-carbon energy solutions to energy resilience challenges such as frequent energy disruptions or energy infrastructure vulnerability to natural hazards. $50,000 in supplementary cash is also provided for communities to put towards the transition, including for implementation.

The program has two “tracks”. For communities who do not have a Strategic Energy Plan (SEP), the program offers four to six months of support to help develop one, including working with local stakeholders, followed by an additional eight to twelve months of support for in-depth technical assistance on projects identified in the plan. For communities who do have an SEP, the program offers 12 to 18 months of support for a “deep dive” into specific projects identified in that plan. Examples of previous projects supported by ETIPP include:

• Working with the Makah Tribe in Washington state on a strategic energy plan to support long-term energy sovereignty, as well as improving energy resilience in the face of frequent hours- to days-long power outages.
• Partnering with the Alaska Longline Fishermen’s Association to plan for hybrid fishing vessels to reduce energy costs for Alaska’s sustainable fishing industry.
• Providing support to the Guam Power Authority in planning to reach 100% renewable energy production by 2040, while providing power that is affordable, reliable, secure, and meets the community’s needs.

For the current ETIPP Cohort, SSDN will be working with the City of Key West to plan for City building decarbonization and resilience upgrades, increased renewable energy, and lowering barriers to electric vehicle ownership.

SSDN will be actively recruiting communities to apply for Cohort 5 in 2025, as well as providing assistance with applications. Eligible entities in the Gulf Coast area are any community that is on an island, within 50 miles of the coast, or a federally-recognized Tribe. Applicants may be local governments, Tribes and Tribal organizations, community-based organizations (including nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations), academic institutions, special purpose districts such as school districts and water districts, municipal utilities, or electric co-ops. ETIPP is committed to the Justice40 initiative, which means that applications that demonstrate a direct benefit to a disadvantaged community are strongly encouraged.