The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to identify potentially capable parties having an interest in leasing land from the federal government to develop carbon pollution-free electricity (CFE) projects. The federal land that may be considered for leasing is located on the U.S. Department of Energy’s Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Site, an 890 square mile site directly north of Atomic City and west of Arco, Idaho (see attached map, “Potentially Available Lands for Lease”).

America’s energy security, economic resilience and climate leadership require the nation to dramatically increase clean-energy production over the next several decades. DOE is playing a critical leadership role in achieving this goal, not only through policy implementation, and financial assistance, but also the strategic use of DOE federal facilities and lands.

In accordance with the President’s Executive Order (EO) 14057, Catalyzing Clean Energy Industries and Jobs Through Federal Sustainability, agencies are seeking to reduce carbon emissions across federal operations. As defined in the EO, CFE includes: “electrical energy produced from resources that generate no carbon emissions, including marine energy, solar, wind, hydrokinetic (including tidal, wave, current, and thermal), geothermal, hydroelectric, nuclear, renewably sourced hydrogen, and electrical energy generation from fossil resources to the extent there is active capture and storage of carbon dioxide emissions that meets EPA requirements.” INL’s mission to advance nuclear energy technologies offers enhanced opportunities and resources for nuclear energy developers, including those seeking to site prototypes, microreactors, and small modular reactors.

The EO requires federal agencies to achieve 100 percent CFE on a net-annual basis as early as 2030, including 50 percent 24/7 CFE. In addition, agencies are directed to authorize use of their real property assets, including land for the development of new CFE generation and storage through leases, grants, permits, or other mechanisms, to the extent permitted by law. As the federal leader on clean-energy research and development and the steward of more than 2 million acres of land, DOE has both a unique opportunity and clear responsibility to lead and identify creative solutions to achieve the President’s mandate.

On July 28, 2023, the Secretary of Energy announced DOE’s Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative where DOE will lease some of its underutilized land for the development of CFE projects. The INL site, which is one of DOE’s 17 National Laboratories, is supporting efforts to reach the CFE goals as well as supporting the local community’s vision of becoming a center of excellence in clean-energy generation and storage. DOE recognizes the local communities and Tribal Nations are well suited and prepared to support these critical initiatives.

We note that this is a RFI only, issued solely for information and planning purposes and is NOT a formal request for proposals (RFP), applications, proposal abstracts or quotations. We are not seeking proposals through this RFI and will not accept unsolicited proposals. This RFI does not commit the U.S. Government to contract for any supplies or services or make a grant award. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested partys expense. We note that not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future procurement, if conducted. It is the responsibility of the potential responders to monitor this RFI announcement for additional information pertaining to this request.

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