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On July 1, 2009, Washington State’s Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development (“CTED”) issued application guidelines and forms for its State Energy Program (“SEP”) (available by clicking here). The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (the “Recovery Act”) provided $60.9 million in new funding for Washington’s SEP. Subsequently, the Washington Legislature allocated $38.5 million to CTED to administer a loan and grant program for energy efficiency and renewable energy program (see our client alert, available here, regarding the legislative action). Continue Reading Show me the Money: Applications Available now for Washington’s State Energy Program

A Minnesota biodiesel plant that has been shuttered for more than one year was approved for a $25 million loan from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (“USDA”).   This loan is the second made by its Rural Development division under Section 9003 of the Farm Bill (the Biorefinery Assistance Program).

The loan is to help SoyMor …

On June 11, 2009, the Department of Agriculture ("USDA") announced that thirty projects, located in fourteen states, would receive $57 million in Recovery Act funding.  Of these funds, $49 million will be for wood-to-energy grants and $8 million is for biomass utilization.

These funds will serve two important objectives.  First, the funds will promote the development…

The Department of Agriculture ("USDA") is now accepting proposals for its Small Business Innovation Research Program ("SBIR").  SBIR has $18.5 million available to fund research projects that address important problems facing American agriculture.  Research areas include, but are not limited to:

  • Biofuels and biobased products;
  • Air, water, and soils;
  • Rural development;
  • Aquaculture; and
  • Animal Manure management

Individual…

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…

In an earlier blog, my colleague, Debra Frimerman reported about 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 is a program under the Food, Conservation, and Energy…

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

…

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 …