Department Requests Information on Clean Energy Projects at Savannah River Site

AIKEN, S.C. – DOE today issued a request for information (RFI) related to the Department’s Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative focused on generating clean energy on DOE owned lands at the Savannah River Site (SRS) in South Carolina.

The RFI will help the Department identify organizations interested in leasing land at SRS from the federal government to develop utility-scale, carbon pollution-free electricity projects (CFE). In late August, the Department issued an RFI to help identify organizations interested in leasing land at the Hanford Site in Washington state for these projects.

Also today, DOE issued an RFI to identify industry partners interested in developing commercial clean energy projects on DOE land in eastern Idaho. DOE is considering leasing land located on the 890-square-mile Idaho National Laboratory (INL) site. The Department is also holding a Cleanup to Clean Energy Information Day at INL on Oct. 25, and inviting leaders in nuclear energy, wind, solar, geothermal, net-zero microgrids, and other clean energy technologies to participate. Attendees will have a chance to learn more about the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative, the RFI and the INL site.

America’s energy security, economic resilience and climate leadership require the nation to dramatically increase clean energy production over the next several decades. DOE is playing a critical leadership role in achieving this goal, not only through policy implementation but also the strategic use of DOE federal facilities and lands.

Working with a diverse range of stakeholders, including industry, federal entities, tribes, state, and local officials, DOE will explore opportunities to lease federal land for the buildout of large-scale clean energy projects. Cleanup to Clean Energy will help achieve President Joe Biden’s ambitious climate goals and the directive in Executive Order 14057 for agencies to use their properties for the development of new clean electricity generation.

“As the leading federal agency on clean energy research, development, deployment, and demonstration, DOE has both a unique opportunity and a clear responsibility to lead by example and identify creative solutions to achieve the president’s mandate,” EM Senior Advisor William “Ike” White said.

In July, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative at the Department’s first industry day under this initiative. SRS, which is one of several EM sites engaged in environmental cleanup across the United States, is supporting efforts to reach the CFE goals. DOE recognizes the local community is well suited and prepared to support these critical issues.

At SRS, DOE has identified approximately 13,200 acres of land that could potentially be used for industrial activities, including CFE generation and storage. DOE may decide to lease part or all the available land for CFE, or award leases to one or multiple entities for CFE. Potential CFE projects include solar, wind and nuclear projects.

DOE will continue to communicate and partner with industry, tribal nations, communities, stakeholders, regulators and others as a process to potentially develop clean energy projects on DOE land is developed and implemented.

Additional information about the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative can be found here.

Click here to read the latest RFI related to the Department’s Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative at SRS.