The Climate Policy, Renewable Energy, & Sustainability Blog
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 …
Greetings from the Windy City, where the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) is expecting a record conference attendance of around 17,000 people. A large contingent of Stoel Rives wind attorneys are attending the AWEA wind energy conference in Chicago this week, May 4 to May 8. My partner Ed Einowski will be speaking about co-location…
We announce the publication of a guide to federal clean energy funding opportunities under the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (“ARRA”). Titled “Show Me The Money,” the guide reviews the various programs and potential sources of federal funding for clean energy companies and projects. The guide addresses funding opportunities under the…
On April 27, 2009, the first Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) under the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) was announced offering up to $150 million to fund transformation energy research and development projects. These funds are part of the $400 million appropriated to ARPA-E under the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. Individual awards of $500,000 to $20 million…
Legislators recently adopted legislation aimed at helping Utah stay competitive with surrounding states in the fast growing national clean energy movement. Five (5) bills dealing with renewable energy and energy efficiency passed with strong bi-partisan support. Three (3) resolutions, while non-binding, send strong messages to local governments and utilities that the legislature encourages, and wants to remove…
The key ingredient to any successful renewable energy project is financing. A central element related to finance is the maximum use of tax benefits. Please join me and my colleagues as we explore a range of issues that can impact the viability of a project’s financing, including: alternative legal structures, general costs and economics, debt…
Washington State’s legislature has passed a bill expanding the Energy Freedom Program and the uses to which the Energy Freedom Account can be put. Previously, funds from the Energy Freedom Account could be applied to biofuels projects only, and appropriations from the Energy Freedom Account to a separate account – the Green Energy Incentive Account – could be…
President Obama issues ban on executive branch officials from speaking to lobbyists on specific stimulus projects…
Continue Reading President Obama Clamps Down on Lobbyists and First Amendment
Among all the interesting presentations at this month’s AWEA transmission and wind workshop, American Superconductor‘s presentation about developments with superconducting transmission lines was particularly noteworthy. Superconducting direct current lines offer greater efficiency, as well as siting and aesthetics benefits, but have historically fallen victim to much higher costs when compared to traditional overhead transmission…
