The goal of the Clean Energy on Mine Land (CEML) program is to enable widespread clean energy deployment by demonstrating the technical and economic viability of carrying out clean energy projects on current and former mine land. Up to five clean energy projects will be carried out in geographically diverse regions, at least two of which will be solar projects. These demonstration projects are expected to be replicable, with the knowledge and experience obtained from this first set of projects inspiring other CEML efforts.

The DOE Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) has implemented a technical assistance program to inform decision-making on topics related to developing clean energy projects on mine land. Through this effort, NREL provides no-cost technical assistance to communities and organizations that supports the development of successful, impactful, and replicable projects in line with CEML program priorities. These priorities are explicitly defined in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and include:

• Greenhouse gas emission reduction potential
• Domestic, high-quality job creation (both directly and indirectly)
• Job creation and economic development in the local vicinity, particularly in economically distressed areas and with respect to dislocated workers who were previously employed in manufacturing, coal power plants, and coal mines
• Potential for technological innovation and commercial development
• Low levelized cost of generated or stored energy
• Low rate of greenhouse gas emissions per unit of electricity generated or stored
• Short project time from permitting to completion.

Topics for Technical Assistance

Topics for technical assistance will vary based on specific project needs and requests. The following list is therefore not exhaustive and simply provides examples of what technical assistance may include. If you are interested in assistance that is not included on the list below, you are encouraged to submit a technical assistance application, and NREL will determine if your request can be fulfilled. Examples of technical assistance may include support for the following activities:

• Aligning clean energy on mine land project plans with CEML program priorities as defined above
• Engagement to identify community priorities and develop plans/partnerships
• Capacity-building strategies to support community-led clean energy projects on mine land
• Identifying opportunities for workforce and economic development through clean energy projects on mine land
• High-level technology assessments on mine land
• High-level site readiness considerations
• Navigating the execution of successful clean energy projects on mine land
• Aligning clean energy on mine land development strategies with state or tribal energy portfolio or climate goals.

Forms of technical assistance may include one or more telephone conversations with subject matter experts, webinar presentations to multiple community stakeholders and project participants, a short report (less than 5 pages) on a topic of interest (may include lessons learned, a resource assessment, a high-level technology assessment, or a fact sheet), or an in-person visit to the site or community to determine pathways for clean energy.