The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the availability of $11.4 million in grants to jumpstart renewable energy and energy efficiency projects at farms, ranches and rural small businesses.

The deadline for submitting applications is June 28.

The grants announced for renewable energy projects will range from $2,500 to $500,000, and grants for energy efficiency will start at $2,500 up to $250,000.

To date, the program has funded 277 projects in 31 states. Projects ranged from energy efficiency improvements in poultry houses to utility-scale wind turbines. A complete list of last year’s grant recipients is available at the Farm Bill Clean Energy website.

This year the USDA will also add a loan guarantee program under rules to be published later this spring. Any funds for loan guarantees not used by August 31 will be made available for grants under this solicitation.

For more information on solicitations now open for energy project proposals from the federal government, visit DEP’s visit Current Open Solicitations webpage.

4/8/2005