It’s certainly no secret that the stimulus package - The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 - has a ton of opportunities for renewable energy and green tech. Quite to the contrary, actually - everywhere you turn there seems to be more information, articles and opinions about the energy grants now that the stimulus has been signed into law. So, in an effort to help pare it down a bit, we’ve compiled a list of some of the great resources available to help you identify and pursue the many energy grants available.
The stimulus package has $61.3 billion allocated for renewable energy, energy efficiency, updating the electrical grid and energy research projects. ProRepublica’s got a very comprehensive breakdown of all the funding, but here’s a quick rundown of some of the items most directly related to energy:
- $6 billion in loan guarantees for energy companies
- $4.5 billion for federal building upgrades
- $4.5 billion in matching funds to update the country’s energy grid
- $3.2 billion for Energy efficiency and conservation block grants
- $3.1 billion State energy program
- $1.6 billion for Department of Energy science programs
- $100 million for training electricity grid workers
Though various funding programs will continue to be announced as they are finalized, here are some of the key funding opportunities that are available now:
Federal Loan Guarantee Program
The $6 billion Federal Loan Guarantee Program exists to encourage early commercial use of renewable energy technologies in energy projects. These funds are available for all renewable energy projects, but it is evident that solar will be a big winner here due to the proven capabilities.
To apply for the Federal Loan Guarantee Program, please visit their website.
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is a great resource for businesses, universities, and others to increase the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies. The EERE encourages the growth of these technologies by offering financial assistance opportunities for their development and demonstration. In fiscal year 2007 alone, EERE awarded $574 million in financial assistance. The different types of EERE funding include:
- Grants
- Cooperative agreements
- Continuation awards
- Renewal awards
For more information on how to apply for EERE financial assistance, visit their website.
State Energy Programs
One of the best resources for learning more about grants is simply www.grants.gov. Here, you can learn more about the State Energy Program (SEP), which exists to achieve the following goals:
- Increase energy efficiency to reduce energy costs and consumption for consumers, businesses and government.
- Reduce reliance on imported energy.
- Improve the reliability of electricity and fuel supply and the delivery of energy services.
- Reduce the impacts of energy production and use on the environment.
For more information on SEP funding opportunities, please visit their website. Also, be sure to view their extensive list of resources for grant applicants and download the applicable documents for free.
FedConnect
FedConnect is an online marketplace where federal agencies post opportunities and make awards via the web. Any vendor can view public postings without registering. However, registered users have numerous added benefits including the ability to electronically submit responses to the government directly through this site.
For more information, or to sign up for FedConnect, please visit their website.
Hopefully these resources provide a good jumping off point for you to explore, identify and apply for the various government grants now available for renewable energy projects. And we here at Fat Spaniel are always available to discuss, as well. If you’re looking to find funding for a particular renewable energy system, feel free to give us a call, and our experts would be happy to help provide guidance.
Write back to us at dogblog at fatspaniel dot com to share your views.
Sincerely,
Hitesh Shah, CFO