2022 Distributed Wind: Competitiveness Improvement Project

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) intends to release a request for proposals (RFP) under the Competitiveness Improvement Project (CIP) in early 2022. The CIP awards cost-shared subcontracts and technical support via a competitive process to: (1) innovate optimized designs for increased energy production and grid support, (2) conduct turbine and component testing to national standards to verify performance and safety, (3) develop advanced manufacturing processes, innovate balance-of-system components, or hardware design improvements to reduce costs, and (4) support technology innovation designed to open markets to distributed wind turbine technology. The CIP is specifically designed to support small businesses in multiple phases of the product development cycle—from paper design through commercial test unit, including supporting innovation of existing product models. The goals of the CIP are to make wind energy cost competitive with other distributed energy resources, improve interoperability with other distributed energy resources, and increase the number of wind turbine designs certified to national testing standards. NREL will also seek proposals from companies developing new applications of wind energy development that would allow distributed wind technologies to support future distributed energy needs more widely. The RFP planned for 2022 will include cost-share requirements. Offerors must provide evidence of incorporation in the United States, demonstrate strong team skills and capabilities, and provide financial information. Work funded under this effort is expected to take place in the United States and/or U.S. territories unless otherwise justified. For further detailed information about the project, visit the project website (https://www.nrel.gov/wind/competitiveness-improvement-project.html ) and related fact sheet (https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2021/01/f82/cip-fact-sheet-2021.pdf).