Debra Frimerman
Debra Frimerman practices in the Corporate group. Debra assists both public and private renewable energy clients in a variety of areas. Her work includes mergers and acquisitions, business entity structuring, exempt and registered securities offerings, and ongoing general corporate governance and securities compliance. Debra dedicates a significant portion of her practice to emerging green and renewable technologies. She also has experience working with clients in agribusiness, finance manufacturing, medical devices, and insurance industries.
Minnesota Renewable Energy Projects RFP
The State of Minnesota’s Office of Energy Security (OES) is requesting proposals from organizations that are engaged in or will engage in the manufacture of renewable energy systems or fuels, energy storage systems, geothermal energy systems for heating and cooling, components of these systems, or equipment for the manufacture of these systems or components.
The maximum award is $1 million. Up to a total of $2 million is available to all recipients. OES anticipates that two to six projects will be selected for awards under this solicitation.
All work to be performed within a proposed scope of work must be completed no later than June 30, 2011. An applicant must provide at least 40 percent of the total cost of the proposed scope of work. Applicant’s match may be cash or in-kind.
Each applicant must submit a notice of intent no later than December 4, 2009 to be eligible. Final proposals are due on December 18, 2009. OES anticipates provisional notification of successful applicants no later than January 29, 2010. Final selection will be contingent on determination by U.S. Department of Energy of compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act.
For more information and to download a copy of the RFP, please visit www.energy.mn.gov and click on Active Request for Proposal (RFP).
Free Webinar on Loan Guarantee Program Hosted by DOE
The U.S. Department of Energy is hosting a free webinar on "How to Build a Strong Application" for the DOE Loan Guarantee Program on Tuesday, September 8, 2009 from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM EST. The webinar is intended to explain the loan guarantee program and help lenders and applicants navigate the application process. DOE will also be providing suggestions on how to create a strong loan guarantee application.
DOE recently released two solicitations under the program for innovative energy efficiency, renewable energy and advanced transmission and distribution technologies and transmission infrastructure investment projects. DOE is particularly interested in wind, closed-loop biomass, open-loop biomass, geothermal, landfill gas, trash-to-energy, hydropower and solar projects that are able to commence construction before September 30, 2011.
DOE will be hosting a series of free webinars on the application process over the next few months.
First Treasury Grants in Lieu of ITC Awarded
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced the first awards of cash grants in lieu of the investment tax credit (ITC) today. The total award value was over $502 million. Recipients include projects in Colorado, Connecticut, Maine, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Texas. Click here for a detailed list of the awards announced today. Additional awards will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information on this program and the application process, please see the Stoel Rives Energy Law Alert: Treasury Issues Guidance on Applications for Grants in Lieu of the ITC and PTC.
Funds Available to Repower Biorefineries
USDA recently announced that it will deploy up to $20 million to encourage the use of renewable biomass as a replacement fuel source for fossil fuels as well as to provide process heat or power in the operation of eligible biorefineries. Eligible biorefineries are biorefineries that meet all of the following criteria:
- Convert renewable biomass into biofuels and biobased products and may produce electricity
- Located in rural areas
- In existence on or before June 18, 2009
- Primary production is liquid transportation biofuels
USDA may make payments under this program to any biorefinery that meets the program requirements for up to three years. USDA will determine the amount of payments to be made to a biorefinery based on the following factors:
- Quantity of fossil fuel a renewable biomass system is replacing
- Percentage reduction in fossil fuel used by the biorefinery
- Cost effectiveness of the renewable biomass system
- Economic benefit to the community
- Potential to improve the quality of life in rural America
The number of payments will vary and be based on the number of applicants and availability of funds but will not exceed $5 million or 50% of total eligible product costs. Applications are due by November 1, 2009.
$22 Million for Community Renewable Energy
The Department of Energy (DOE) announced this week that up to $22 million from the Recovery Act would be allotted to up to 4 eligible communities nationwide in order to encourage utility-scale renewable energy systems that provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy supplies for their communities, while creating jobs and new economic development opportunities. The projects will demonstrate how multiple renewable energy technologies, including solar, wind, biomass, and geothermal systems, can be deployed at scale to supply clean energy to communities. Eligible applicants are local and state governments, Indian Tribes and Tribal Energy Resource Development Organizations or Groups.
Successful applicants will be awarded financial assistance to support the implementation of an integrated renewable energy deployment plan for a community, and the construction of renewable energy systems. DOE expects each project to also have substantial private sector investment in addition to the funds from DOE. Completed applications are due September 3, 2009 and the DOE will select awardees by the end of November 2009.
Advanced Biofuel Producer Payments - FY 2009 Deadline Approaching!
Advanced biofuels producers must enroll by August 11, 2009 to be eligible to receive payments from the USDA for FY 2009 production under Section 9005 of the 2008 Farm Bill. Eligible producers of advanced biofuels may receive payments for advanced biofuels produced from October 1, 2008 through September 30, 2009 (FY 2009). $30 million is available for distribution under this program for advanced biofuels producers in FY 2009.
The amount of payments made to individual producers will depend on the number of program participants and the volume of advanced biofuels being produced. Payments will be made in one lump sum to eligible producers after FY 2009. Contact your local USDA Rural Development State Office for application materials or to learn more.
Biomass Crop Assistance Program
The USDA has released a proposed Notification for Funds Availability (NOFA) for the Collection, Harvest, Storage and Transportation (CHST) of eligible biomass material. CHST is one of the programs under the Biomass Crop Assistance Program, which was created by the 2008 Farm Bill.
The purpose of CHST is to provide matching funds to eligible persons or entities for the collection, harvest, storage and transportation of eligible material delivered to qualified biomass conversion facilities. Through this program, the Commodity Credit Corporation will provide matching payments on a dollar for dollar basis for each dry ton of eligible biomass delivered to a qualified biomass conversion facility, up to a maximum of $45 per ton. The matching payments are available to eligible persons or entities delivering the biomass to the facility who have the right to collect or harvest the biomass and are considered the owners of it.
The NOFA, once finalized, will be used to administer payments for CHST in advance of the rule on the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. Comments on the NOFA are being requested through August 10, 2009.
For more information on USDA funding opportunities, please see our recent alert.
Apply Now for REAP Grants and Loan Guarantees
The USDA announced today that it is accepting applications under the Rural Energy for America Program (“REAP”). REAP provides grants and loan guarantees to agricultural producers and rural small businesses to purchase renewable energy systems, make energy efficiency improvements and conduct feasibility studies for renewable energy systems.
REAP funds are available in the following amounts:
- Grants for energy efficiency projects are available for up to the lesser of $250,000 or 25% of the project costs.
- Grants for renewable energy systems are available for up to the lesser of $500,000 or 25% of the project costs.
- Grants for feasibility studies for renewable energy systems are available for up to the lesser of $50,000 or 50% of the costs of the study.
- Loan guarantees are available for up to the lesser of $25 million or 75% of the project costs.
Applicants must be agricultural producers or rural small businesses. Agricultural producers are farmers or ranchers that obtain more than half of their gross income from agricultural operations. Small rural businesses are small businesses, as determined in accordance with the Small Business Administration's small business size standards, located in rural areas. Applications are due July 31, 2009.
$480 Million Available for Integrated Biorefinery Projects
Last week DOE released a new funding opportunity announcement for up to $480 million for pilot-scale and demonstration-scale integrated biorefinery projects. An integrated biorefinery uses an “acceptable feedstock” to produce a biofuel or bioproduct as the “primary product.” Acceptable feedstocks include:
- Algae
- Certain woody biomass
- Renewable plant materials so long as it is not generally intended for use as food
- Crop reside (cobs, stover, etc.)
- Yard and food waste
- Certain post-sorted MSW
The projects must be either pilot-scale (processing at least one dry tonne of feedstock per day) or demonstration-scale (processing at least 50 dry tonnes of feedstock per day).
The maximum award for a pilot-scale project is $25 million and the maximum award for a demonstration-scale project is $50 million. Generally, the cost share requirements from non-Federal sources are 20% for pilot-scale projects and 50% for demonstration-scale projects.
Applications are due June 30, 2009. Although not required, DOE suggests all prospective applicants submit a notice of intent to apply, which can be submitted through May 29, 2009.
Visit www.grants.gov or www.fedconnect.net for more information on this opportunity.
$18 Million of Value-Added Producer Grants Available
USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service is accepting applications for $18 million in Value-Added Producer Grants. Funds are available for value-added agricultural projects, including farm-based renewable energy projects, for either planning or working capital purposes. Examples of eligible projects include developing ethanol and biodiesel plants, pelletizing biomass and installing anaerobic digesters.
The maximum grant award is $100,000 for a planning grant and $300,000 for a working capital grant. Applicants must provide matching funds of at least 100% of the grant award. Eligible applicants include (1) independent agricultural producers, (2) eligible agricultural producer groups, (3) farmer-owned or rancher-owned cooperatives and (4) majority controlled producer-based businesses.
Check out our client alert on this opportunity for more information.
