Funding News Archive
Below is an archive of all our funding related news.

Application Now Open for the 2007 Round of the Department of Energy's Industrial Technology Program Energy Savings Assessments

Energy Savings Assessments are no-cost or cost-shared three day industrial manufacturing energy system assessments that identify opportunities for large energy and particularly natural gas using facilities to save substantial amounts of energy. Energy Savings Assessments (ESAs) identify immediate and long-term opportunities to save energy and money in your plant, focusing on steam, process heating, compressed air, fan, or pumping systems. If your company is selected for an assessment, an ESA Energy Expert will work with you on site to identify savings opportunities. Your plant's employees will also help gather data, learn about software tools, and perform a system analysis, so they can continue to find energy savings after the assessment.

In 2007, DOE is offering new opportunities for manufacturers to take part in ESAs. In addition to process heating and steam systems, your plant could be eligible for a no-cost assessment in compressed air, fan, and pumping systems. You can also expand your options with cost-shared assessments. We invite you to join us in saving energy-and money-today!

You can participate in any of these ways:

• You can apply online for an ESA that identifies key opportunities to reduce your plant's energy use and environmental emissions while improving productivity. If your plant is selected, the assessment will be scheduled in 2007.
• Partner with ITP by cosponsoring assessments, events, and training; linking to the Save Energy Now Web site; and increasing awareness about energy efficiency and cost savings within your plant or with your customers.
• At any time, you can take advantage of the many tools and resources that ITP provides to improve your plant's energy efficiency and bottom line.

For more information, visit the Save Energy Now Web site, www.eere.energy.gov/industry/saveenergynow or contact the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Information Center at 1-877-337-3463.

The U.S. Department of Energy, Industrial Technologies Program seeks qualified specialists interested in being certified as Energy Savings Assessment (ESA) Experts and being placed on DOE's Qualified Bidders List. Work would include performing industrial facility assessments to identify energy savings and thereby cut operating costs. Responses due 6/15/07.

For more info, go to: http://www2.fbo.gov/spg/DOE/PAM/HQ/DE-RQ36-07GO97024/Combine%20Synopsis_Solicitation.html

Refer to Sol# DE-RQ36-07GO97024. (FBO 4/20/07)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests proposals for Rural Cooperative Development Grants. This program seeks to improve the economic condition of rural areas through cooperative development. Grant funds are provided for the establishment and operation of Centers that have the expertise or who can contract out for the expertise to assist individuals or entities in the startup, expansion or operational improvement of cooperative businesses. In FY05, the NW Cooperative Development Center helped start up a wind energy cooperative. $3.5 million expected to be available, up to 18 awards anticipated. Responses due 6/8/07.

For more info, contact the appropriate USDA State Office (www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/rcdg/Contacts.htm) or go to: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/coops/rcdg/rcdg.htm

Refer to Sol# RDBCP-07-03-RCDG. (Grants.gov 4/18/07)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests proposals from a number ofstates for the Conservation Innovation Grant Program. CIG seeks to stimulate the development and adoption of innovative conservation approaches and technologies in conjunction with agricultural production. Refer to the individual RFPs for state-specific priorities which include but are not limited to: Carbon sequestration in soil, greenhouse gas accounting tools and registries, bio-based energy opportunities, small farm scalable technologies, and renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, and methane recovery.

TX: $300K expected to be available, up to 4 awards anticipated.Responses due 4/30/07. For more info, contact melvin.womack@usda.gov or go to: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=13253&mode=VIEW. Refer to Sol# USDANRCSTX0701. (Grants.gov 3/28/07)

The U.S. Department of Agriculture requests proposals for Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Grants. This initiative provides grants, guaranteed loans and a combination of grants/loans to agriculture producers and rural small businesses in eligible rural areas for purchasing renewable energy systems and for making energy efficiency improvements. $11.4 million expected to be available, up to 200 awards anticipated. Grant applications due 5/18/07, guaranteed loan applications due 7/2/07.

For more info, contact the applicable State Office (http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/) or go to: http://www.grants.gov/search/search.do?oppId=13211&mode=VIEW.

Refer to Sol# RDBCP-07-01. (Grants.gov 3/26/07)

February 22, 2006
The Rural Business-Cooperative Service (RBS) announces the availability of funds for fiscal year (FY) 2006 to purchase renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements for agriculture producers and rural small businesses in eligible rural areas. The amount available for competitive grants is $11.385 million. Approximately $176.5 million in guaranteed loan authority is also available. For renewable energy systems, the minimum grant request is $2,500 and the maximum is $500,000. For energy efficiency improvements, the minimum acceptable grant request is $1,500 and the maximum is $250,000. The maximum amount of a guaranteed loan made to a borrower will be $10 million. For FY 2006, the guarantee fee amount is 1.0% (one percent) of the guaranteed portion of the loan and the annual renewal fee is 0.125% (one-eighth of one percent) of the guaranteed portion of the loan.

The deadline for applications is May 12, 2006.

Go to http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rbs/farmbill/ for more information.

Initial Proposal - Solicitation #: DE-PS01-06LG00001
http://www.lgprogram.energy.gov/Solicitationfinal.pdf

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct05) authorizes the U.S. Department of Energy to issue loan guarantees to eligible projects that "avoid, reduce, or sequester air pollutants or anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases" and "employ new or significantly improved technologies as compared to technologies in service in the United States at the time the guarantee is issued".

On August 7, 2006 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Samuel W. Bodman unveiled DOE program guidelines for a total of $2 billion in loan guarantees to help spur investment in projects that employ new energy technologies. The only project proposals that the DOE will consider in connection with this initial solicitation must employ a technology that fits within the following categories:

• Category 1 - Biomass
• Category 2 - Hydrogen
• Category 3 - Solar
• Category 4 - Wind & Hydropower
• Category 5 - Fossil Energy Coal
• Category 6 - Carbon Sequestration Practices and Technologies
• Category 7 - Efficient Electricity Transmission and Delivery and Energy Reliability
• Category 8 - Alternative Fuel Vehicles
• Category 9 - Industrial Energy Efficiency Projects (private facilities only)
• Category 10 - Pollution Control Equipment

For more information, please read the full solicitation here. More information on the loan guarantee program can be found here: www.lgprogram.energy.gov.

The pre-application deadline for this solicitation is November 6, 2006.

Agency: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Summary
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency requests proposals for the Pollution Prevention Information Network for projects that promote the use of successful source reduction techniques by businesses.

Areas of interest: (This list is not exhaustive!) Reduction or elimination of pollutants through increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water, or other resources; protection of natural resources by conservation; and reduction in the amount of pollutants released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment or disposal.

Award Amount: $700K expected to be available, up to 10 awards anticipated.
Deadline: Responses due 7/28/06.

More Information: Please contact Beth Anderson at anderson.beth@epa.gov or go to: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/p2home/grants/ppin/ppin06.htm.

Refer to Sol# EPA-OPPT-06-15. (Grants.gov 6/13/06)

Funding: $53 million
Open Date: 02/22/2006
Close Date: 08/10/2006
Funding Organization: Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Funding Number: DE-PS36-06GO96016

Summary:
The Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy announces a funding opportunity for cooperative agreements from the Office of the Biomass Program. This announcement requests applications to design, construct, build, and operate an integrated biorefinery that employs lignocellulosic feedstocks for the production of combinations of:

• Liquid transportation fuels
• Bio-based chemicals
• Substitutes for petroleum-based feedstocks and products
• Energy in the form of electricity or useful heat

It is expected that biorefineries proposed under this opportunity will be operational within 3 to 4 years.

Approximately $53,000,000 is expected to be available in fiscal year 2007 for new awards. Additional funding is expected to be available in fiscal years 2008 and 2009. Approximately $160 million over 3 years is expected to be available for new awards. [Full solicitation]