Enigin Update - Rural Development Loan & Grant Boost for Energy Efficiency
A loan and grant program geared to help rural small businesses and agriculture install energy efficient improvements is now open for applications.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development has begun accepting applications for the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Applications are being accepted until 30th June 2010.
The program is designed to assist small rural businesses and agriculture producers to install energy efficient improvements or install renewable energy systems to new or current businesses.
Grants are limited to $250,000 for energy efficiency improvements or $500,000 for renewable energy projects and can fund up to 25 percent of a project’s total eligible cost.
Grants as low as $1,500 for energy efficiency improvements and $2,500 for renewable energy systems are also available, and applications would be considered for these lesser amounts.
Under the Program, loan guarantees can also be obtained for up to 50 percent of the eligible costs of the project.
Applications will be selected through a competition based on a set of scoring criteria.
“Most rural projects that reduce energy use and result in savings for the small business or agricultural producer are eligible as energy efficiency projects,” said USDA Rural Development spokesperson Harold Alford in a press release.
“These include projects such as lighting upgrades, insulation, and more efficient heating or cooling units.”
He said that eligible renewable energy projects include projects that produce energy from wind, solar, geothermal, and biomass.
The program does not allow improvements to houses or housing units (including rental property) even if they are used as part of a business or agriculture production.
Enigin Distributors in the US have already helped many rural clients to save on energy using the range of energy saving solutions from Enigin.
