HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2024.12.12 - 41759
AGENDA ITEM: Memorandum of Understanding between Oakland County and 5Lakes Energy for
US Department of Energy Voucher Program
DEPARTMENT: Office of Sustainability
MEETING: Board of Commissioners
DATE: Thursday, December 12, 2024 11:11 AM - Click to View Agenda
ITEM SUMMARY SHEET
COMMITTEE REPORT TO BOARD
Resolution #2024-4758
Motion to approve the Memorandum of Understanding between Oakland County and 5Lakes
Energy for the U.S. Department of Energy Voucher Program Clean Energy Demonstration Project
Siting and Permitting Support until January 2027; further, authorize the Chair of the Board of
Commissioners to execute the Memorandum of Understanding.
ITEM CATEGORY SPONSORED BY
Contract Yolanda Smith Charles
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT), in collaboration with
the Offices of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED), Fossil Energy and Carbon Management
(FECM), and Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), today announced that over 170
companies, tribes, and local governments will receive support to advance commercialization of
clean energy technologies in the form of in-kind DOE-funded vouchers. Almost 60 organizations,
including six National Labs, will provide this support valued at more than $20 million.
The Voucher Program is funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) and Inflation Reduction
Act (IRA) as part of the Technology Commercialization Fund (TCF) and leverages DOE’s
partnership intermediary agreement with 5Lakes Energy. The Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) is between Oakland County and 5Lakes Energy.
The program is designed to grant small businesses, local governments, and other non-traditional
partners access to the vetted resources and expertise they need to bring their clean energy
technologies and projects to the next level. In this recent round, the program offered voucher
support across 174 capabilities, ranging from testing facility access to trusted third-party subject
matter expertise. The available support works to increase the adoption readiness of the participating
organizations and ultimately brings impactful, clean energy technologies to fruition nationwide.
Selected organizations will receive vouchers worth up to $250,000 each across seven types of
support, including analytical assistance (technoeconomic analysis, market readiness assessments,
etc.), performance validation (testing, certification, etc.), siting/permitting support for jurisdictions,
and planning of industrial decarbonization projects. Since inception in 2023, more than 250
organizations have been selected to receive voucher support from BIL TCF voucher opportunities
across numerous technology areas in the purview of OCED, FECM, and EERE. Approximately half
of the recipients self-reported not having received previous DOE funding or support.
Oakland County was selected to participate in the Voucher 3 Program with 5 Lakes Energy as the
provider - VO-3 Clean Energy Demonstration Project Siting/Permitting Support(OCED/EERE): helps
authorities having jurisdiction like city or tribal governments and related institutions (including but not
limited to first responders, utilities, and transportation authorities) understand new clean energy
technology benefits and challenges, evaluate siting and permitting best practices developed by
similar jurisdictions, develop streamlined permitting processes, and support community engagement
on related issues. Voucher provider submissions are open but not limited to non-profit organizations
and consulting firms.
Here is a link to the announcement: https://www.energy.gov/technologytransitions/articles/doe-
announces-20-million-vouchers-support-over-170-organizations
Here is a link to the voucher programs and recipients:
https://www.energy.gov/technologytransitions/voucher-program-selections
POLICY ANALYSIS
Oakland County is a voucher recipient under the US Department of Energy’s (DOE) Voucher
Program. Two memorandums of understanding will need to be executed - one with
ENERGYWERX, the DOE contractor administering the program, and the second with 5Lakes
Energy, the service provider. ENERGYWERX, as the program administrator, pays 5Lakes Energy
for their work. Oakland County will receive the work free of charge.
Oakland County will work with 5Lakes Energy for “Evaluating siting and permitting best practices
developed by similar jurisdictions.” The purpose is to understand new clean energy technology
benefits and challenges, evaluate siting and permitting best practices developed by similar
jurisdictions, develop streamlined permitting processes, and support community engagement on
related issues. The outcome of this work will result in the county receiving guidance and policy
language to advance renewable energy and storage siting throughout Oakland County. The Office
of Sustainability will be able to use this information to assist Oakland County’s 62 cities, villages,
and townships in this as well.
BUDGET AMENDMENT REQUIRED: No
Committee members can contact Barbara Winter, Policy and Fiscal Analysis Supervisor at
248.821.3065 or winterb@oakgov.com or the department contact persons listed for additional
information.
CONTACT
Erin Quetell, Environmental Sustainability Officer
ITEM REVIEW TRACKING
Aaron Snover, Board of Commissioners Created/Initiated - 12/12/2024
AGENDA DEADLINE: 12/12/2024 7:00 PM
ATTACHMENTS
1. MOU - Oakland County_5Lakes Energy
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2024-12-04 Economic Development and Infrastructure - Recommend to Board
2024-12-12 Full Board - Adopt
Motioned by: Commissioner Linnie Taylor
Seconded by: Commissioner Penny Luebs
Yes: David Woodward, Michael Spisz, Penny Luebs, Karen Joliat, Christine Long, Robert
Hoffman, Philip Weipert, Gwen Markham, Angela Powell, Marcia Gershenson, William Miller III,
Yolanda Smith Charles, Charles Cavell, Brendan Johnson, Ann Erickson Gault, Linnie Taylor
(16)
No: None (0)
Abstain: None (0)
Absent: Michael Gingell, Kristen Nelson, Ajay Raman (3)
Passed
OAKLAND COUNTY MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
BETWEEN
OAKLAND COUNTY
AND
5LAKES ENERGY
This Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) is made and entered into between the Oakland
County, a Michigan Constitutional and Municipal Corporation (“Recipient”), a political
subdivision of the state of Michigan, whose address is 1200 North Telegraph, Pontiac,
Michigan 48341 and 5Lakes Energy(“Identified Provider”),whose address is PO Box 869
Northport, MI 49670. Oakland County and 5Lakes Energy may be referred to individually as a
“Party” and jointly as "Parties".
The Parties agree as follows:
1. PURPOSE OF MOU. To work together to advance clean energy technologies that align
with Oakland County and State of Michigan MI Healthy Climate goals. Participating in this
partnership is made available via the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Technology
Transitions (OTT) in partnership with the Offices of Clean Energy Demonstrations
(OCED), Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), and Energy Efficiency and
Renewable Energy collaborative that will advance commercialization of clean energy
technologies for communities in the form of in-kind DOE-funded vouchers. 5Lakes Energy
was one of the selected organizations to advance this work, and Oakland County was
selected to receive the Voucher 3 Program – Clean Energy Demonstration Project
Siting/Permitting Support, (“Voucher Opportunity”). Through this partnership, 5Lakes
Energy will assist Oakland County understand new clean technology benefits and
challenges, evaluate siting and permitting best practices developed by similar jurisdictions,
develop streamlined permitting process, and support community engagement on related
issues.
2. Identified Provider. The Identified Provider for this Voucher Opportunity shall be: 5
Lakes Energy
3. Term. This MOU shall be effective as of the Effective Date, continuing until its
termination on January 31, 2027, unless terminated earlier in accordance with Section 7
below.
4. Recipient’s Obligations. The Recipient shall:
a.Fully and successfully complete any and all agreed upon requirement(s) associated
with the support services offered by the Identified Provider pursuant to the Voucher
Opportunity as set forth in Section 1, including all associated tasks, comprising, but
not limited to, training, data analysis, and collaboration with the Identified Provider;
b.Complete all information necessary for the Identified Provider to provide support
services to Recipient, and prepare all reports, including a final report, as requested or
coordinated by the Identified Provider; and
c.The Parties understand that Energywerx is the Partnership Intermediary and it
contracts for the Department of Energy (DOE). Submit any request(s), question(s),
comment(s), or concern(s) related to the Voucher Opportunity to the Partnership
Intermediary via email to info@energywerx.org, unless the Identified Provider is a
National Lab.
5. Partnership Intermediary’s Obligations. The Partnership Intermediary shall:
a.Administer the Voucher Opportunity on behalf of the Department of Energy for the
benefit of the Recipient;
b.Notify the Recipient of contact information and other requested information
pertaining to its matched Identified Provider per the Recipient’s contact information
provided herein; and
c.Track the Recipient’s progress on the Voucher Opportunity.
6. Understandings. The Recipient understands that it shall not receive any compensation
from the Partnership Intermediary under this MOU other than the non-monetary benefit of
the Partnership Intermediary’s administration of the Voucher Opportunity.
7. Cancellation. This MOU may only be terminated prior to the termination date identified in
Section 3:
a. Upon four (4) weeks written notice by the Partnership Intermediary or the
Department of Energy of its intent to terminate this MOU; or
b. If Recipient fails to (i) perform any obligation under Section 4, (ii) perform any
obligation to the Identified Provider related to the Voucher Opportunity, or (iii)
comply with any U.S. law or regulation applicable to the Voucher Opportunity.
Cancellation under this provision shall be effective upon Recipient’s failure to cure
within fifteen (15) days after written notice by the Partnership Intermediary or the
Department of Energy.
8. Contact Information. The points of contact for the Partnership Intermediary and the
Recipient, which may be updated from time to time, for any communication related to this
MOU shall be:
a. Identified Provider:
5 Lakes Energy
Douglas Jester, djester@5lakesenergy.com
b. Recipient:
Oakland County
Julie Lyons Bricker, brickerj@oakgov.com
9. Reservation of Rights. This Memorandum does not and is not intended to impair, divest,
delegate, or contravene any constitutional, statutory, and/or other legal right, privilege,
power, obligation, duty, immunity, or governmental immunity of a Party or the Parties.
10. Compliance with Laws. Each Party shall comply with all federal, state, and local statutes,
ordinances, regulations, administrative rules, and requirements applicable to its activities
performed under this Memorandum.
11. Severability. If a court of competent jurisdiction finds a term or condition of this
Memorandum to be illegal or invalid, then the term or condition shall be deemed severed
from this Memorandum. All other terms, conditions, and provisions of this Memorandum
shall remain in full force.
12. Governing Laws. This Memorandum shall be governed, interpreted, and enforced by the
laws of the State of Michigan regardless of its conflict of law’s provisions.
13. Memorandum Modification. Any modifications, amendments, recessions, waivers, or
releases to this Memorandum must be in writing and agreed to by both Parties.
14. Entire Agreement. This Memorandum represents the entire agreement and understanding
between the Parties. This Memorandum supersedes all other oral and written agreements
and memorandums between the Parties regarding this subject matter.
15. Attestation. By executing this MOU, the Recipient attests and certifies that it has entered
into all agreements with the Identified Provider pertinent to or required for completion of
tasks associated with the Voucher Opportunity.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Identified Provider and the Recipient, through duly
authorized representatives, having read and understood this Memorandum of
Understanding, enter into and execute the same, hereby agreeing to its terms by their
signatures below.
Oakland County
BY: DATE:
Dave Woodward
Board Chair, Oakland County Board of Commissioners
5Lakes Energy
BY: DATE:
Douglas Jester