April 1, 2005—The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the availability of $22.8 million to support new renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements by agricultural producers and rural small businesses. The funds will support the use of renewable energy technologies such as biomass (including anaerobic digesters), geothermal, hydrogen, solar, and wind energy.
The new funds will be made available in two stages. One half, or $11.4 million, is available immediately for competitive grants of up to $500,000 for renewable energy projects and up to $250,000 for energy efficiency projects. The grant request may not exceed 25 percent of the eligible project cost, and applications must be submitted by June 27th. The remaining $11.4 million will be set aside for guaranteed loans for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects through a process to be announced later this year.
For more information, see the USDA Web site.
