FARM ENERGY NEWS BLOG » Finance

USDA issues call for applications for REAP funding

Karl — Sat, 30 May 2009 21:39:35 +0000

On May 26, 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it is accepting applications for Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants and loan guarantees. REAP (Section 9007 of the 2008 Farm Bill) is the former Section 9006 under the 2002 Farm Bill and provides incentives for the development/construction of renewable energy projects, such as anaerobic digester projects.

REAP renewable energy grants can provide up to 25 percent of eligible project costs, up to $500,000. Loan guarantees or grant and loan guarantee combinations are capped at 75 percent of eligible project costs. More details are available in the Federal Register at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2009/pdf/E9-12178.pdf or on the USDA Web site http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/busp/9006grant.htm.

Application materials may be obtained by contacting one of USDA Rural Development State Offices, which are listed at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/recd_map.html or by downloading at http://www.grants.gov. Applications are due on July 31, 2009.

This item was supplied by the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) AgSTAR program. For further information or questions about AgSTAR, visit the AgSTAR Web site.

Wisconsin awarded federal grants for renewable energy work

Karl — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:06:52 +0000

RENEW Wisconsin and three post-secondary schools captured more than $1 million for projects to help the federal government address market and deployment challenges identified in a 2008 Department of Energy report.

RENEW Wisconsin will use part of the funds to develop a one-stop online source of information for wind developers, state and local policymakers and regulators, and the general public.

The web site will include documents and links to relevant state and federal statutes and rules, facts sheets on everything from aesthetics to court decisions, zoning, and other resources, as well as a calendar of upcoming workshops, seminars, training, briefings, grant opportunities, request-for-proposals, and other relevant events and opportunities. Read more . . .

For a full list of awards and to read the DOE news release, go to: http://www.energy.gov/news2009/print2009/7381.htm.

Clean-Energy Industry in the Doldrums

Karl — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 14:26:56 +0000

Note: In today’s edition of the Wall Street Journal, Russell Gold wrote a short piece about investments in renewable energy, citing information (released on April 2, 2009) from the research firm, New Energy Finance, Ltd.

Investment in renewable energy has hit a lull as private-sector money is drying up, but the bulk of government funding has yet to arrive.

There was $13.3 billion in new investments in clean energy — the term used to describe alternative energy such as wind farms, solar power and biofuels facilities — in the first three months of 2009, down 53%, from a year earlier, according to a report Thursday from research firm New Energy Finance Ltd. The drop came mostly in bank-based financing for building new projects, the report says, as the credit crunch has caught up with this once high-flying sector. Link to story. . .