[Sustainable-biodiesel] On-Farm Energy Grants

[John Bonitz]

USDA Invites Applications for Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Grants
and Loan Guarantees to Farmers and Small Rural Businesses

Please be aware that the long-awaited announcement has arrived, formally
opening the applications process for USDA-RD grants and loan-guarantees for
renewable energy and energy efficiency investments (press release below).
Feel free to forward this information to interested farmers, woodland
owners, and rural businesses.

For more details and contact info please see the following link:
http://www.cleanenergy.org/pdf/9006Flyer.pdf  (158 KB file with USDA contact
information for GA, FL, NC, SC, TN.)

Also, I have a list of Professional Engineers for those needing assistance
in grant-writing, energy audits, or renewable energy assessments.

Here are some important changes in the program for 2008:

Grants:  For grants, the USDA is making $15.9 million available for 2008
(though more may come later from unused loan guarantee allocations).  The
USDA has established two grant cycles this year, with application deadlines
of April 16th and June 16th.  50% of the grant funding will be set aside for
each cycle.  Applications not funded in the first cycle will be reconsidered
in the second cycle.

Loan Guarantees:  USDA will review and decide applications for loan
guarantees on a continuous basis, but must be received by USDA no later than
June 16th. Applications for combined loan guarantee-grants will be reviewed
bi-weekly and USDA also must receive those applications no later than June
16th.  The USDA has provided funding resulting in $205 million in loan
guarantees (leveraging $19.9 million from original Congressional funding).

On-Line Applications:  Grant applicants have the option to submit
applications online from www.grants.gov <http://www.grants.gov/>  and submit
their application electronically.  (At the time of this writing, the
application is not yet available).  Loan guarantee applications can only be
submitted in paper form.

Further Information:  Further information on the program including
frequently asked questions, official application forms and templates,
checklists, tips, case studies, application instructions and regulations can
be found at www.farmenergy.org <http://www.farmenergy.org> .

Sincerely,

John Bonitz,
Farm Outreach & Policy Advocate
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
PO Box 1833, Pittsboro, NC  27312
Phone: 919-545-2920
Mobile: 919-360-2492
Email: bonitz at cleanenergy.org
Web: http://www.cleanenergy.org




USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY LOANS AND
GRANTS

WASHINGTON, March 6, 2008 - Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer announced
during an international renewable energy conference that USDA will accept
$220.9 million in loan and grant applications within USDA¹s Renewable Energy
Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements Program.

³As demand for energy rises, these renewable energy loans and grants help
farms and rural small businesses increase their investment in renewable
energy initiatives,² said Schafer, speaking at the Washington International
Renewable Energy Conference (WIREC).   ³Energy efficiency wisely applies our
resources, and energizes wealth-creation opportunities with more jobs
throughout rural America.²

Loan guarantees and grants are available to agricultural producers and rural
small businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems or to make
energy efficiency improvements.

Eligible applicants may seek loan guarantees to cover up to 50 percent of a
project¹s cost, not to exceed $10 million.  Grants are available for up to
25 percent of a project¹s cost, not to exceed $250,000 for energy efficiency
improvements and $500,000 for renewable energy systems.  USDA Rural
Development has invested $674 million in more than 1,763 renewable energy
and energy efficiency projects since 2001.  These investments include
ethanol, biodiesel, wind, solar, geothermal, methane gas recovery systems
and biomass.

The Bush administration¹s Farm Bill proposal recommends a $1.6 billion
increase in renewable energy funding.  Were Congress to agree, cellulosic
ethanol development proposals would receive a $2.1 billion loan guarantee
program, while $500 million would be available for bioenergy and bioproducts
research programs, as well as another $500 million for renewable energy
development and energy efficiency grants. Details are available at
www.usda.gov/farmbill <http://www.usda.gov/farmbill>  .

USDA will issue one grant solicitation for two separate competitions in FY
2008.  For the first competitive window, grant-only applications must be
submitted no later than April 15, 2008.  For the second competitive window,
grant-only applications must be submitted no earlier than April 16, 2008,
and no later than June 16, 2008.  Applications for loan guarantees, as well
as those for loan/grant combinations must be completed and submitted to the
appropriate USDA Rural Development State Office no later than June 16, 2008.

Further information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural
Development office or by visiting USDA¹s web site at
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov .

USDA Rural Development¹s mission is to increase economic opportunity and
improve the quality of life for rural residents.  Rural Development has
invested nearly $91 billion since 2001 for equity and technical assistance
to finance and foster growth in homeownership, business development, and
critical community and technology infrastructure.  More than 1.7 million
jobs have been created or saved through these investments.  Further
information on rural programs is available at a local USDA Rural Development
office or by visiting USDA's web site at http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

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