Over $10 million in Energizing Insular Communities (EIC) grant funding is to be awarded to Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands, U.S. Department of the Interior’s Assistant Secretary for Insular and International Affairs Carmen G. Cantor announced Friday.
Through the EIC program, the Office of Insular Affairs (OIA) supports energy security in the territories by funding proposals tied to each territory’s energy plan, which reflects their self-determined energy goals, according to the press release.
“We are pleased to support the self-determined energy goals of the territories,” said Cantor. “Both territories, in their proposals, will receive support to continue implementing and strengthening clean energy alternatives.”
The Office of Insular Affairs works closely with the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to provide technical assistance supporting the territories’ continued efforts to deploy clean energy systems, diversify energy sources, reduce costs, and improve energy security and resilience. While there were no successful applications from American Samoa or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands this year, NREL is providing support on future applications from the territories, the press release stated.
