Round 3 of the Community Power Accelerator Prize expanded beyond community solar to include other forms of distributed solar energy technologies. The $10 million prize from the DOE is designed to fast-track the efforts of new, emerging, and expanding solar developers and co-developers to learn, participate, and grow their operations to support successful distributed solar projects.

The goal of this prize is to expand a robust ecosystem of distributed solar project developers that incorporate meaningful benefits into projects across the United States.

Round 3 of the prize seeks organizations that have the desire and ambition to develop and finance a portfolio of two or more projects that, in aggregate, total at least 1 MW AC of distributed solar generation. To be eligible, no single portfolio project may exceed 5 MW AC. Distributed solar projects may include but are not limited to:

• Community solar
• Behind-the-meter virtual power plants (VPPs)
• Distributed energy resource (DER) aggregations
• Microgrids
• Commercial and industrial (C&I) solar
• Multifamily projects
• Structured to Accelerate Solar Investments

Through this prize, DOE seeks to increase the number of equitable distributed solar projects by providing:

• Tools and resources to connect developers with both public- and private- sector, project capital to build distributed solar projects using a standardized process.
• Training to build understanding of the full cycle of distributed solar development, including site acquisition, community relations, customer acquisition, financing, costs, and the unique challenges and benefits of a distributed solar model.
• Free consulting services for competitors on the steps necessary to secure the capital necessary to build a portfolio of distributed solar projects.
• Coaching for solar developers interested in expanding customer markets to include low- and moderate-income populations and disadvantaged communities.

By the end of the prize, competitors will be ready to engage with the Community Power Accelerator online platform, which provides a place for competitors to shop their credit-ready projects around to verified project developers, investors, and philanthropic organizations.

Who Can Compete?

The Community Power Accelerator Prize Round 3 is open to U.S. solar developers, including new developers and experienced developers who are expanding their solar operations.

The prize also welcomes solar co-developers, organizations that are partnering with a project developer, and other non-developer organizations to apply. Examples of new developers include (but are not limited to):

• Community-based organizations, such as local community health organizations, community action agencies, houses of worship, and community and economic development organizations, that have real estate portfolios
• Multifamily affordable housing providers
• State, local, and Tribal governments and their agencies, including schools and school districts
• Intermediary organizations such as community development institutions
• General contractors with roofing and/or electrical experience
• Other large real estate holders that may be available for solar deployment.

There are three phases in this prize.