RAPID/About/FAQ
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RAPIDRegulatory and Permitting Information Desktop Toolkit
Bulk Transmission
Regulatory and Permitting DatabaseReference LibraryBest PracticesNEPA Database
RAPID Toolkit FAQs
Learn more about the RAPID Toolkit through the answers to these frequently asked questions.
What is the RAPID Toolkit?
What technologies does the RAPID Toolkit host information about? Will RAPID host other technologies in the future?
What types of information and resources will I find on the RAPID Toolkit?
Who funded the RAPID Toolkit?
Who developed the platform?
What is OpenEI? What is the difference between OpenEI and RAPID?
Who developed the initial content in the RAPID Toolkit?
How do I know if content is up-to-date?
Who is responsible for managing the RAPID Toolkit now?
What if I want to add information or make a correction?
Can I monitor updates?
What if someone abuses the privilege to edit content?
Who should use the RAPID Toolkit? Who is it designed for?
RAPID stands for the Regulatory and Permitting Information Desktop. The RAPID Toolkit is a "one-stop shop" for permitting and siting information for renewable energy and bulk transmission projects and includes regulatory process information and resources such as statutes, regulations, permit applications, manuals, and best practices. All the information contained in the RAPID Toolkit is publicly available and kept up-to-date by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the through user feedback provided to the project team.
The RAPID Toolkit currently hosts information about geothermal, hydropower, and solar generating technologies as well as bulk transmission.
The RAPID Toolkit contains the following resource tools and information for geothermal, hydropower and solar generating technologies as well as bulk transmission:
Regulatory Flowchart Library
Details the major requirements—in topics such as siting, land access, exploration, grid connection, water access and rights, and environmental considerations—for developing renewable energy and bulk transmission projects in the U.S. Permitting processes required by states, the U.S. Department of Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service are included, with more to be added in the future.
Includes a collection of links to regulatory and permitting resources—including permit applications, guidance, manuals, tools, regulations, and rules—that are available on other websites.
Includes helpful information such as descriptions, case studies, templates, and how-to information for efficiently permitting renewable energy and bulk transmission projects.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Database
Includes a collection of document sets and details from previously conducted NEPA analyses that can be used to inform future analyses.
Note: The NEPA Database currently includes information for geothermal and bulk transmission projects only.
The U.S. Department of Energy has provided funding to partners including the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Western Governors' Association, and the Midwest Governors' Association.
The RAPID Toolkit is hosted on the OpenEI platform, an internationally supported wiki platform for crowd-sourced energy information that is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and reegle. Learn more about OpenEI.
OpenEI is a wiki-based platform that hosts energy information. Users can view, edit, add, and download data for free. The RAPID Toolkit is a set of information resources and tools that is hosted on OpenEI's wiki-based platform, with a particular focus on the siting and permitting of geothermal, hydropower, and solar generating technologies as well as bulk transmission. Learn more about OpenEI.
Content in the RAPID Toolkit was initially developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy. The Midwest Governors' Association and the Western Governors Association (as well as their contractors) have provided assistance developing bulk transmission content. Content was developed in close consultation with state, federal, industry, and nongovernmental stakeholders. Additional outreach and stakeholder engagement support has been provided by Kearns and West and Environmental Management and Planning Solutions Inc. Herrick Solutions provides legal review.
The RAPID Toolkit team works to make sure all content on the website is up-to-date. Users of the toolkit can provide updates through the feedback widget located on each page. You can click the History button on any RAPID Toolkit page to see the dates and times of each revision.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory is still in the process of actively developing content for the RAPID Toolkit and curating previously developed content. In addition, the RAPID Toolkit uses a wiki-based platform and allows the user community to provide feedback through the feedback widget. Additionally, agencies and other users receive update notifications when changes are submitted to pages they select to monitor.
What is the log-in feature for?
To create or edit pages, you must have an OpenEI account. All OpenEI accounts are free. Sign up or log in.
To add information or make corrections, users should either provide feedback through the feedback widget or through contacting the RAPID Toolkit team at rapidtoolkit@nrel.gov.
To receive an email alert each time an update is made to a page, ensure that you are logged in, select Page Actions at the top of the page, and click Watch. An alternative option is to select the Edit with Form button, scroll to the bottom of the page, and select the Watch this Page option.
Throughout OpenEI's history, cases in which a user maliciously changes information are rare. In these cases, the user can be blocked. If the information is simply inaccurate or misleading, the page watchers can revert the information back to its original state or provide clarifications to the edited information.
Anyone interested in the regulatory and permitting processes for energy development. The RAPID Toolkit's goal is to facilitate communication between project developers and permitting agency personnel, among permitting agencies at all jurisdiction levels, and among all project stakeholders—including the public. Learn how the RAPID Toolkit can be of value to you.
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