Request for Qualifications Issued for Generating Clean Energy at Savannah River Site

Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative advances with request for qualifications on potential use of Savannah River Site land for solar power generation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) related to the Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative to evaluate qualified clean energy developers interested in leasing DOE-owned land for solar-powered commercial clean energy projects within the 310-square-mile Savannah River Site (SRS).

The RFQ marks the next phase of the Department’s initiative to increase solar-powered clean energy production by making DOE land available for potential carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) projects.

The purpose of the RFQ is to receive proposals from parties interested in utilizing land at SRS in Aiken, South Carolina, to develop CFE projects with a focus on generating utility-scale solar power energy benefiting the broader region. Comments and questions on the RFQ are due by March 22, 2024, and proposals are due by April 19, 2024.

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

SRS, which is one of several EM sites engaged in environmental cleanup across the United States, is supporting efforts to reach CFE goals as well as achieving site sustainability goals.

Through the RFQ, DOE is conducting a competitive, qualifications-based process for evaluating and ranking proposals. Following project selection, negotiations will commence for the intended execution of a realty agreement covering the development, construction and operation of a CFE project.

In developing the RFQ, DOE previously released a request for information (RFI), which closed in January. That request invited industry, government and community members to comment on the potential use of SRS land for CFE projects. DOE also hosted an information day at SRS on Feb. 29 for parties interested in submitting a response to the RFI. The responses and comments received on the RFI were used to inform this RFQ.

DOE will continue to communicate and partner with industry, communities, stakeholders, regulators and others regarding this initiative.

Click here to access the RFQ.

More information on Cleanup to Clean Energy can be found here.