The DOE likens the program to past roll-outs for cable TV or the Internet, although the initial target is homes and businesses in the hundreds of thousands, not tens of millions. Nonetheless, DOE says the program will create models that will save billions on utility bills, when undertaken nationally.

The funding opportunity announcement is expected to be released in early October, following the public comment period. Public comment ends on Sept. 28, 2009.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu said, "Energy efficiency isn't just low-hanging fruit; it's fruit lying on the ground. We have the tools to reduce energy use at home and at work and to provide huge savings to families and businesses on their energy bills. But use of these technologies has been far too limited because we lack the simple and effective ways for people to access them."

The idea is to allow innovative communities to demonstrate a variety of sustainable business models that can be replicated across the country. The Request for Information will be for up to $390 million in competitively selected community-scale retrofit projects that make significant, long-term impacts on energy use and can serve as national role models for grassroots energy efficiency efforts.

"The aim of the 'Retrofit Ramp-Up' program is to jump-start an industry that makes energy efficiency savings easy to access and available to everyone," said Chu.

The DOE will select number of innovative programs that are structured to provide whole-neighborhood building energy retrofits. These will be projects that demonstrate a sustainable business model for providing cost-effective energy upgrades for a large percentage of the residential, commercial, and public buildings in a specific community. Possible approaches could include innovative partnerships between the public and private sector, utility retrofit and audit programs, alternative financing, retail partnerships, and others.

Another $64 million is reserved for government entities that were not eligible to receive allocations under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant program. These funds are intended to help expand local energy efficiency efforts and reduce energy use in the commercial, residential, transportation, manufacturing, or industrial sectors.