U.S. DOE Technical Assistance Project

The Technical Assistance Project, or TAP, is a program which provides "state and local officials with quick, short-term access to experts at U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Laboratories for assistance with their renewable energy and energy efficiency policies and programs.

TAP helps states with individual, short-term assistance in the following crosscutting topic areas that are not the responsibility of a single DOE technology research program:

• System benefits charges or other ratepayer-funded utility energy efficiency and renewable energy programs

• Renewable energy and energy efficiency portfolio standards and renewable fuel standards

• Use of clean energy technologies to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions

• Use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies on state and local public lands and facilities

• Use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies for state and local disaster relief, mitigation, and planning

• State and regional energy efficiency and renewable energy assessments and planning

• Sustainable community and building design

• Clean energy project financing incentives and mechanisms

• Other renewable energy and energy efficiency activities supported through DOE's State Energy Program.

Resources available at the TAP website could be useful for designing similar programs internationally.