RFI - Reducing the Soft Costs for Utility-Scale Solar Installations on Public Lands

This is a Request for Information (RFI) only. DOE will not pay for information provided under this RFI and no project will be supported as a result of this RFI. This RFI is not accepting applications for financial assistance or financial incentives. DOE may or may not issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) based on consideration of the input received from this RFI. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking comments and information from interested parties to assist DOE in understanding practices and policies to reduce the non-hardware balance of system costs (?soft costs?) of utility-scale solar installations and to empower solar developers and industry to increase development of utility scale-solar installations. Soft costs may be reduced through increased access to information and strategies about utility-based solar program design, siting, permitting, and strategies for environmental mitigation on public lands. This request for information (RFI) asks interested parties, including industry, consumer groups, and state and local governments to report on: ? Efforts to streamline permitting processes and enhance environmental monitoring and mitigation; ? Which policies and practices should guide policymakers in facilitating solar development, while also best protecting cultural, environmental, and other natural resources; and ? How to collect and/or disseminate data for solar stakeholders to determine where development is best suited. This RFI does not seek comments on policies and practices specific to utility-scale transmission, transmission siting, or energy distribution. DOE recognizes the interdependency between electric transmission and solar energy generation; however, the scope of this RFI is directed towards utility-scale solar installations as it pertains to business models and best practices for development on federal public lands. Although the DOE may determine as the result of this RFI to issue a formal Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), there is no guarantee that future funding opportunities or other activities will be undertaken as a result of this RFI. Information on where to submit questions regarding the content of the announcement and where to submit questions regarding submission of responses can be found in the full RFI posted on the EERE Exchange website. All responses to this RFI must be delivered electronically in Microsoft Word or PDF format as an attachment in an email sent to: UtilityScaleSolarRFI@go.doe.gov by 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time on January 15, 2013. Emails should have the subject line ?Solar Technologies RFI: Utility-Scale Solar?. THIS RFI IS NOT A FUNDING OPPORTUNITY ANNOUNCEMENT (FOA); THEREFORE, DOE IS NOT ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS.