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

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DSIRE SOLAR is the latest offering by the DSIRE project – it provides solar-specific policy information to consumers, policy makers, program administrators, the solar industry and other stakeholders. The new DSIRE SOLAR site still has all the features of the DSIRE site, including the interactive US map, but now displays solar incentives only.  Users…

My colleagues Michael O’Connell and Stephen Kelly, both of whom have a great deal of experience representing clients engaged in energy and natural resources transactions with Indian tribes, are putting on a webinar entitled "Doing Business with Indian Tribes." Since the best private lands are often already spoken for, renewable energy developers are looking …

On May 11, the Washington Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (“CTED”) filed an application with the United States Department of Energy to receive American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (“ARRA”) funds for Washington’s State Energy Program (“SEP”). The application contains funding for renewable energy, energy efficiency, and farm energy assessments. Once the SEP is approved, funding will commence through CTED with advice from the Clean Energy Leadership Council.Continue Reading Washington’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Comprehensive Application

As part of the DOE’s announcement last week to provide $786.5 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to accelerate advanced biofuels research and development, the DOE allocated $50 million to create an algae biofuels consortium to accelerate demonstration of algae biofuels. As many companies are working toward the commercialization of algae biofuels, this infusion…

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

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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 …

On, May 5, 2009, President Obama announced federal efforts to increase investment and use of advanced biofuels. The President signed a Presidential Directive establishing the Biofuels Interagency Working Group, ordering the Department of Agriculture (“USDA”) to implement financing opportunities from the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (“FCEA”), and announcing additional Recovery Act funds for renewable …