Over the last several years, cities and counties across the country have worked persistently to implement innovative energy projects. Financial support for these efforts has largely been made possible through Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) and State Energy Program (SEP) funds. People who care about developing energy efficiency projects might be wondering what will come next…

To address the challenge of how to employ and maintain lasting change, the Technical Assistance Program (TAP) has developed an initiative called the Community Energy Strategic Planning (CESP) Academy.

Beginning this summer, the CESP Academy will provide direct assistance to select cities, counties, and tribal governments as they develop and refine local strategic energy plans and corresponding processes.

The CESP Academy will be an interactive and collaborative forum that helps participants identify specific energy goals and establish steps for achieving them. In a series of facilitated workshops, the Academy will assist community leaders in:

  • Developing an energy vision
  • Engaging important stakeholders
  • Designing effective energy programs
  • Identifying funding
  • Mapping out additional strategies

The CESP Academy will also assemble all aspects of the strategic energy planning process to promote responsible actions within the community and across the broader regions where the community interacts.

If this is the kind of opportunity and resource your community could use, don’t miss out! The CESP Academy application window is open through May 28. The application includes a one-page fact sheet on required documents and selection criteria. The CESP Academy will choose selected local governments in early June.

To learn more about the CESP Academy, consider attending the upcoming Webinar on May 12. The webinar will cover the value of the CESP process and provide details on the CESP Academy application. Please register now, as space will be limited.

If you have further questions, feel free to contact your SEP/EECBG Project Officer or the CESP Academy coordinator at CESP.Academy@nrel.gov.

Content for this Blog post courtesy of Alexander Dane, National Renewable Energy Laboratory