The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced $149.87 million for 67 energy conservation and clean energy projects at federal facilities across 28 U.S. states and territories and six international locations. Funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the selected projects will advance the adoption of cleaner, more cost-effective technologies to slash the federal government’s carbon footprint and support net-zero goals.
This marks the second and final installment of the $250 million Assisting Federal Facilities with Energy Conservation Technologies (AFFECT) grant program, which will help the federal government achieve President Joe Biden’s goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions from all federal buildings by 2045. According to the DOE, this round of AFFECT funding will be bolstered by leveraging nearly $1.6 billion in private capital and federal funds, corresponding to a total investment of $13.50 for every federal dollar spent.
U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm said, “Today’s announcement will empower federal facilities across the United States to upgrade critical infrastructure with cutting-edge, cost-effective technologies they need to improve reliability while saving taxpayers money.”
Managed by the DOE’s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP), the AFFECT projects will support the transition to net-zero emissions federal buildings by implementing clean energy technologies such as battery energy storage systems, microgrids, and building automation systems and integrating renewable energy through solar photovoltaics, wind, and geothermal. These upgrades are essential for enhancing energy efficiency and reducing reliance on fossil fuels, according to the DOE.
Selected projects include:
- Creativity and resourcefulness combine with underutilized technologies to meet federal and agency goals: A federal building and courthouse in Montana will repurpose abandoned mining caves’ groundwater for a geothermal heating and cooling system to replace existing gas boilers; a DOE national laboratory in California will expand its microgrid solution to 9.4 megawatts of solar PV capacity and boost battery energy storage to 2,000 kilowatt-hours; and a Coast Guard yard in Maryland will slash on-site fossil fuel usage with a comprehensive ground-source heat pump solution.
- Complete elimination of on-site fossil fuel in five federal projects: Through comprehensive retrofitting and electrification efforts, these projects will eliminate 100% of their direct on-site (Scope 1) emissions, demonstrating an important step toward decarbonization and advancing progress toward more sustainable federal infrastructure.
- Achieving net-zero water at a military fort in South Texas: Facing chronic water scarcity, this project will implement advanced water conservation technologies to create a self-sustaining water system, ensuring long-term resilience and operational continuity while addressing critical resource challenges in the region.
According to the DOE, the collective 67 projects announced will deliver substantial benefits:
- Reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to removing 19,370 gas-powered vehicles from the road annually (81,388 Mt CO2e/year).
- Save taxpayers $41.7 million annually in energy and water costs.
- Achieve energy savings equivalent to powering 35,701 homes annually (883,525 MMBtu/year).
- Conserve more than 1 billion gallons of water annually—enough for 24 million loads of laundry.
- Generate carbon pollution-free electricity equivalent to driving 494 million miles in electric cars (176,383 MWh/year).
- Support 20 projects (30% of selected projects) located in or adjacent to disadvantaged communities, creating jobs and driving local economic development.
- Ensure that 100% of projects comply with Made in America (Executive Order 14005) which aims to boost American manufacturing and good-paying Union jobs.
For more information on AFFECT and the Phase 2 project selections, click here.