Farm Energy

The Omnibus Appropriations Bill introduced to the US Senate late on December 14 would cut Farm Bill clean energy programs by over $120 million and would eliminate the Biomass Crop Assistance Program. See the following list of cuts:

• Rural Energy for America Program, Section 9007. Cut from total $99.34 million in 2010 to $70 million in 2011.
• Biomass Crop Assistance Program, Section 9011, is denied administrative funds, effectively killing the program.
• Bioenergy Program for Advanced Biofuels, Section 9005 is reduced by $28 million.
• Biorefinery Assistance Program Section 9003 is reduced by $56 million. (more…)

The USDA has now released this year’s funding notice for feasibility studies under REAP – the Rural Energy for America Program. Feasibility studies evaluate the likelihood of renewable project success in consideration of technical, financial, management and other factors. USDA requires feasibility studies for project funding under REAP where project costs exceed $200,000.

(more…)

(May 27, 2010) Today the USDA released the FY2010 funding notice for grants under Energy Audits and Renewable Energy Development Assistance (also known as “Energy Technical Assistance”). The deadline for applications is 4:30 PM on July 26, 2010.

Energy Technical Assistance was created under the 2008 Farm Bill and provides ways to identify cost-effective opportunities for energy efficiency and renewable energy measures by rural agricultural producers and rural small businesses. A total of $2.4 million is available under this program for 2010 and the maximum grant is $100,000.

The eligible organizations under this program include units of State, tribal, or local government; land-grant colleges and universities and other institutions of higher education, rural electric cooperatives; and public power entities.

Applicants should follow the guidelines in the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) carefully. The NOFA provides the criteria for scoring the competitive applications and information on how the application should be organized.

The NOFA can be downloaded here. (PDF format)

(April 26, 2010) Today, the USDA issued the Notice of Solicitation of Applications (NOSA) for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). The announcement can be downloaded here (PDF) and focuses on grants and loan guarantees for renewable energy and energy efficiency improvements. Two more notices are expected in the following days for energy technical assistance and for feasibility studies. (more…)

As many states are already learning, wind energy development presents a tremendous opportunity for economic growth. Environmental Law and Policy Center Senior Attorney John Moore says that’s especially true for the Midwest.

According to Moore, several government policies have helped spur the development of wind power in rural America. Listen to the interview on the Brian Allmer Radio Network (BARN).

ELPC’s second version of the Community Wind Financing Handbook is now available.  This guide reflects new financing opportunities available from federal energy and economic stimulus legislation, the new Farm Bill, and state incentives. (more…)