NLR's Energy to Communities (E2C) Launches Two Six-Month Peer-Learning Cohorts

The National Laboratory of the Rockies (NLR) is pleased to announce that 27 local participants across the United States were recently selected for two new Energy to Communities (E2C) peer-learning cohorts, managed by NLR on behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

E2C peer-learning cohorts launched two separate engagements in July. The first, “Leveraging Data for Modern Utility Grid Planning,” is a series designed for public utility grid planners and data managers to learn about data sources, storage, and management best practices. The second engagement, “Navigating Local Data Center Development,” supports local governments, Tribal organizations, and planning commissions to better understand data center characteristics, risks, benefits, and trade-offs that may affect their communities.

Once a month from July through December 2026, participants will meet to explore best practices, strategies, and tools to advance participant energy goals related to their cohort’s topic.

“E2C peer-learning cohorts empower local communities by sharing knowledge and tools and creating dedicated spaces to answer questions about topics that directly support the latest U.S. energy needs,” said Jenny Sumner, NLR’s E2C program lead. “With the addition of these two, E2C will have hosted more than 20 total cohorts. We’re excited to keep providing the tools, expertise, and collaborative experiences participants need to bolster their local energy systems.”

The new participants join a group of about 300 local leaders from nearly 280 communities that have participated in E2C’s peer-learning cohorts to access educational resources, review case studies, learn about analysis and modeling tools, apply templates to streamline their work, undergo trainings, and participate in facilitated collaboration on common energy topics.

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