As the nation’s energy infrastructure continues the transformation to clean power, many remote, rural communities are at risk of being left behind.

Microgrids are an effective solution to this problem, and the federal government is investing in an effort to support their development.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Energy launched its Community Microgrid Assistance Partnership (C-MAP). The initiative is designed to help remote, rural and otherwise isolated communities improve their energy reliability and security by developing microgrid systems.

Starting Oct. 2, eligible communities are able to submit proposals for technical assistance and funding. Support is designed to assist the design and implementation of new microgrid development or existing system upgrades. Interested parties have a little more than two months to apply, as the deadline is Dec. 20, 2024.

C-MAP is a pilot program intended to focus on indigenous and historically underserved communities. The DOE defines an underserved community as one in which 30% of the community population is classified as low income, and where the median spending of household income on energy bills is equal to or greater than 6%. The latter is referred to as a “high energy burden.” The program will focus on areas in Alaska, Hawaii, the Great Plains and Southwest.

The program also recognizes the unique needs of each community, and its support is divided into multiple categories depending on the phases of development of a community microgrid, ranging from the early stages of assessments and feasibility studies to maintenance and operability of existing systems.

The DOE considers off-grid communities to be well-positioned to demonstrate microgrid innovation along the path to greater use of renewable energy. The DOE’s assistant secretary for the Office of Electricity, Gene Rodrigues, describes microgrids as “building blocks for reliability, resilience, and affordability in an increasingly complex energy system.”